FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proportion of the gross national product of Afghanistan which was generated by the production of drugs in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: We have made no such assessment.
	The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), however, has estimated the value of opium production at farm-gate level as follows:
	
		
			   Production (metric tonnes) Farm-gate value (US$ billion) 
		
		
			 2002 3,400 1.2 
			 2003 3,600 1.02 
			 2004 4,200 0.6 
			 2005 4,100 0.56 
		
	
	Since 2003, UNODC have assessed the value of opiate exports from Afghanistan as a percentage of licit gross domestic product as follows:
	
		
			  Total export value of opiates (US$ billion)  Percentage of licit GDP 
		
		
			 2003 2.3 50 
			 2004 2.8 61 
			 2005 2.7 52

Afghanistan

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure a reduction in production of opium and its derivatives in Afghanistan.

Ian Pearson: As G8 lead nation on counter narcotics in Afghanistan, the UK and the international community are supporting the Government of Afghanistan (GoA) to deliver their National Drug Control Strategy and to bring about a sustainable reduction in the cultivation, production and trafficking of opium. To that end, the UK spent £24,442,350 on counter narcotics activity in Afghanistan in 2004–05. This included the running of seven training courses on intelligence and investigation techniques for the Afghan Counter Narcotics Police, support for interdiction operations, resulting in major seizures of opiates, the provision of a mobile forensic laboratory and help to establish regional law enforcement offices in seven provincial centres outside Kabul.
	Over the next three financial years, the UK is providing more than £270 million. This is a funding increase, agreed by the Domestic and Overseas Policy Cabinet Committee on 21 July 2005, of £115 million. £130 million of the funding will be provided by the Department for International Development, with the rest coming from other Government Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office. In this three year period, we will focus on the following three key priorities, which we judge will make the greatest impact: targeting the trafficker and the top end of the drugs trade; strengthening and diversifying legal rural livelihood opportunities; and developing strong and effective counter narcotics institutions.
	In November 2005, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) confirmed the poppy cultivation figures for 2004–05 from their annual survey. UNODC reported a 21 per cent. reduction in poppy cultivation from 131,000 hectares (ha) in 2003–04 (production of 4,200 metric tonnes) to 104,000 ha in 2004–05 (4,100 metric tonnes). Good weather and an absence of crop disease were responsible for the increased yield. While there remains a risk that cultivation may increase again this year, our goal is to ensure that the downward trend in cultivation is maintained in the long term. We are working hard with the GoA and other international partners to ensure that it is able to deliver on this goal.

Bosnia

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his Bosnian counterpart in relation to the 7 July bombings.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the 7 July bombings in general terms with Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Member Tihic at the Srebenica commemoration on 11 July 2005. UK authorities are in regular contact with their Bosnian counterparts on counter-terrorism matters.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ian Pearson: None. No one from the international community has had access to Aung San Suu Kyi since 2004, including representatives of the UN and the International Red Cross who have sought to see her.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many political prisoners were detained in Burma as of 1 January.

Ian Pearson: There are no definitive numbers, and the situation changes daily with releases and arrests as well as some tragic recent deaths in jail. We believe that the current estimate of 1,131 made by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) is broadly accurate.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are held in administrative detention in Burma under the 1975 State Protection Act.

Ian Pearson: We estimate that at least five prisoners are held under administrative detention under the 1975 State Protection Act, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo of the National league for Democracy (NLD), and Shan politician U Shwe Ohn, who has been detained since 7 February 2005.
	We are also particularly concerned that this law has been used repeatedly to extend the detention of NLD MPs Dr. Than Nyein and Dr. May Win Myint, who are in very poor health. We have raised these cases with the Burmese regime and called for their immediate release.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Burmese parliament-elect are in prison in Burma.

Ian Pearson: Fourteen.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political and human rights situation in Burma.

Ian Pearson: We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Burma. Serious abuses of human rights continue, particularly in areas of armed conflict. We regularly raise our concerns with the Burmese authorities. We believe if Burma is to attain the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) stated goal of becoming a
	'modern, developed and democratic nation',
	and promote successful national reconciliation, this will require a more open and inclusive political process than is currently being pursued by the SPDC.
	We are particularly concerned that there is an increasing risk of a breakdown of relations between the SPDC and a number of ethnic ceasefire groups, including the Shan, Kachin, and Mon. We believe that the SPDC should take steps to restore confidence with these groups, inter alia through the immediate release of the Shan leaders who received heavy sentences in 2005, and an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the killing by SPDC troops of five Kachin Independence Organisation members and a civilian on 2 January.

China

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China about the persecution of Christians.

Ian Pearson: We regularly raise concerns about freedom of religious belief in China, including the persecution of Christians, with the Chinese Government. We did so at the last UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in June 2005. Freedom of religion was a focus of the last EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place under the UK presidency in October 2005. The UK led an EU demarche on the Chinese Government on freedom of religion in Beijing on 29 December 2005. Individual cases of concern, including Christians, were raised at this meeting and at the Dialogues. We will continue to raise our concerns about religious freedom with the Chinese authorities.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will answer the letter dated 28 November 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs B. Cush, forwarded from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Ian Pearson: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 23 January 2006.

Cuba

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings held by his Department with officials from the US to discuss relations with and policy towards Cuba since 1997.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 24 January 2006
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly holds meetings with US officials that include discussions about relations with and policy towards Cuba. To collate the information would incur disproportionate costs.
	We continue to differ with the US in our policy towards Cuba. While the US favours sanctions and isolation, we prefer constructive engagement with the Cuban authorities. We frequently reiterate our differing approach to US officials in meetings with them. On 8 November 2005, we again voted to adopt the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US against Cuba.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of prison conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what visits to penal establishments have been made by embassy staff.

Ian Pearson: Prison conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remain poor, with frequent cases of overcrowding, malnutrition, ill treatment and disease. Years of conflict, exacerbated by the collapse of the state and chronic poverty, have resulted in abuses of humanitarian standards and insufficient government funds to maintain prisons. We have repeatedly called on the DRC authorities to respect international humanitarian law and Human Rights Conventions. We continue to register our concerns over human rights with the DRC Government in bilateral and multilateral political discussions.
	Staff from the embassy and the Department for International Development in Kinshasa have made regular visits to prisons in different cities across the DRC over the last 12 months. They liaise regularly with UN staff monitoring human rights and the rule of law, who have regular access to the majority of the country's prisons.

EU Council Meetings

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council Ministers meetings he has attended since 1 July 2005; and if he will list the dates and subjects of the meetings.

Douglas Alexander: Since 1 July 2005, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has attended the following seven formal Council of Ministers meetings:
	18–19 July General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), Brussels (first day only);
	3 October GAERC, Luxembourg;
	18 October GAERC, Luxembourg;
	7 November GAERC, Brussels;
	21–22 November GAERC, Brussels (first day only);
	7 December GAERC, Brussels; and
	12–13 December GAERC, Brussels.
	In addition, he attended the 15–16 December meeting of Heads of State or Government—the European Council—in Brussels.
	He has also attended one informal Council meeting since 1 July: the Foreign Affairs Informal (or 'Gymnich') in Newport on 1–2 September.
	Full details of all the above meetings can be found on the UK presidency website available at, www.eu2005.gov.uk.

EU Council Meetings

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months.

Douglas Alexander: The forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January is as follows:
	Council of Ministers meetings:
	30–31 January: General Affairs and External Relations Council
	Informal Ministerial meetings:
	29 January: Informal meeting of Trade Ministers
	During the first six months of 2006, the European Union, under the Austrian presidency, will hold meetings of EU Heads of State or Government ('European Councils') on 23–24 March and 15–16 June, 32 Council of Ministers meetings and 14 informal ministerial meetings. Full details of these and other major European Union events for the next six months can be found on the website of the Austrian presidency, available at www.eu2006.au.

Fiji

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the security situation in Fiji.

Ian Pearson: Although tensions between the Government and the armed forces have re-surfaced in recent weeks, the situation in Fiji is now calm following talks between the Acting President, the Prime Minister and the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for Fiji was amended on 13 January. British nationals are advised to exercise caution, to avoid demonstrations and to keep up-to-date with local developments.

Holocaust Memorial Day

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Douglas Alexander: The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, an independent charity supported by the Home Office, is responsible for Holocaust Memorial Day and organises the annual commemorative event. This year's event will be held in Cardiff on 26 January under the theme One person can make a difference", hosted by my right hon. Friend for Cardiff West, Rhodri Morgan, AM. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will be represented by officials.
	The FCO leads the UK delegation to the Task Force for International Co-operation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, in which a number of UK community groups participate.
	The UK supported the UN General Assembly Resolution of 1 November 2005 designating 27 January as the annual Holocaust Memorial Day.

Illegal Drugs

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government spent in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 on the reducing availability strand of its policy to prevent the supply of illegal drugs.

Kim Howells: The Government's planned expenditure on reducing the supply of drugs in 2002–03 and 2003–04 is given in its publication Updated Drugs Strategy 2002". The amounts are £376 million and £380 million respectively.

Iraq

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK has sought clarification from the US as to whether it will retain military bases in Iraq after the withdrawal of troops.

Ian Pearson: The issue of future US military bases in Iraq is a matter for the US Government and the Government of Iraq. The UK remains in close touch with the US Government about a range of issues in Iraq, including military planning and basing issues.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what volume of gas at Iraqi oil production facilities is being lost per day as a result of flaring at the point of production;
	(2)  what the dollar average revenue received is by the Iraqi Government per barrel of oil produced.

Ian Pearson: Iraq sells its oil on the world market and the revenue gained is subject to fluctuations according to the world market price. The dollar average revenue per barrel of oil for 2005 was US$ 46.89. In 2005, Iraqi revenue from oil sales was US$ 23.5 billion. The latest estimate from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office in Baghdad for the amount of gas flared is 770 million standard cubic feet per day for the south of Iraq and 20 million standard cubic feet per day for the north.

Israel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons European Union Foreign Ministers decided not to publish the report by the British Consulate in Jerusalem on Israel's activities in the Occupied Territories; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The EU remains concerned about the situation in East Jerusalem. EU Foreign Ministers discussed this at their meetings on 21 November and on 12 December 2005.
	The EU analysis on East Jerusalem was submitted to Ministers by heads of mission in the region as well as by various committees in Brussels. A draft version of the report was leaked to the press.
	At their meeting on 12 December 2005 EU Ministers decided, in response to changed circumstances in Israel and the Occupied Territories, including the imminence of elections on both sides, that publishing the report would be counter-productive. East Jerusalem issues remain a high priority for the UK and EU when lobbying the Israeli Government at all levels.

Israel

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Israeli authorities on the operation of a blacklist of persons not allowed to enter the occupied territories.

Kim Howells: Where appropriate, we raise individual cases on behalf of British Nationals who are on the Israeli Authorities Government's blacklist.

Ivory Coast

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Ivory Coast; and what status the UN mission there has.

Ian Pearson: The Government remain concerned at the situation in Cote d'lvoire. We support the mediation efforts of the Africa Union (AU), UN and Economic Community Of West African States. An International Working Group (IWG) has been established by the UN and AU to oversee the peace process and the UK is represented at its monthly meetings.
	The outbreak of unrest in Abidjan and elsewhere last week, however, was worrying. Violent demonstrations by supporters of President Gbagbo followed the recommendation by the IWG that the mandate of the National Assembly should not be renewed. This recommendation was in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1633 inviting the IWG to ensure that Ivorian institutions function normally until the holding of elections. We urge all Ivorians to unite in support of efforts to bring a lasting peace to the country.
	The mandate of the UN Mission in Cote d'lvoire remains unchanged: inter alia, to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to support the peace process leading to the organisation of free, fair, open and transparent elections in Cote d'lvoire.

Myanmar

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations' special rapporteur on Myanmar.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent meetings with the United Nations special rapporteur, Professor Pinheiro, but Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met him most recently in Geneva in December 2005.

Russia

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the treatment of the Hindu community in Russia and (b) the effect on the community of the loss of the Hindu Temple in Moscow.

Douglas Alexander: The Hindu community, like a number of other religious communities, have faced difficulties freely practising their faith in Russia. These include the inability to establish a permanent place of worship in Moscow since the demolition of the Hindu Temple there in 2004. We raise the issue of religious freedom during regular EU and bilateral contact with the Russian Government. We will continue to monitor this and other religious freedom issues in Russia and raise them as appropriate in the course of our ongoing dialogue.

Rwanda

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received in the past 12 months concerning the safety of (a) genocide survivors and (b) prisoners released under the gacaca system in Rwanda.

Ian Pearson: We have received no representations in the past 12 months on genocide survivors. Ibuka, the genocide survivors' umbrella organisation, makes regular representations to the Government of Rwanda. The Rwanda National police is tasked with investigating all allegations of crimes against genocide survivors and witnesses involved in genocide related gacaca trials. We have received no representations in the past 12 months on behalf of prisoners released into the community as part of the gacaca process. Fears among the population about the punishments believed to be meted out by gacaca courts led to around 15,000 Rwandans fleeing to neighbouring countries in the past six months. Most of them have now returned.

Rwanda

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the gacaca prisoner-release system in Rwanda; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) today (UIN 44815).

Rwanda

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the system of justice in Rwanda; how many perpetrators of the genocide have been brought to justice; and what assessment he has made of the protection available to witnesses.

Ian Pearson: The Rwandan authorities are pursuing the traditional justice system, gacaca, in order to tackle the enormous number of people, estimated at 750,000, accused of genocide and related crimes. A new gacaca bill, which replaces the current gacaca law, has been forwarded to the Rwandan Parliament for approval. We have not yet seen this. With European partners we are urging the Rwandan Government to ensure that the new gacaca courts do not issue the death penalty, and that international concerns over the variable punishments and the lack of defence counsel are addressed.
	So far, over 4,000 people have been judged and sentenced by gacaca courts. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has tried 26 people. The ICTR has, with the assistance of the Rwandan Government, placed 20 individuals in witness protection in Rwanda. Others have been relocated in third countries.

Rwanda

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help the Government have given towards the reconciliation process in Rwanda.

Ian Pearson: The UK played a significant role in designing and supporting the implementation of Rwanda's Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRSP), in which reconciliation is a key theme. We contributed technical assistance to help with policy development, institutional development and capacity building. As the major bilateral donor to Rwanda, the UK is providing development assistance worth some £46 million in 2005–06, which is targeted towards delivery of Rwanda's PRSP. In recent years, we have supported specific activities to promote understanding and reconciliation, including an allocation of over £0.9 million for peace education activities, linked to the 10th anniversary of the genocide in 2004.

Terrorist Suspects (Renditions)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2005, Official Report, column 1653W to the right hon. Member for North East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell), on terrorist suspects (renditions), if he will list the records which were checked by officials in order to provide the answer.

Kim Howells: In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, records were searched under rendition" and extradition". In the Home Office, searches were made under rendition", extradition" and IND casework". In the Ministry of Defence, officials looked for relevant information in records relating to US flights using UK military airfields.

Theresa McDermott

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate the case of Theresa McDermott, who was detained by the Israeli authorities on her arrival in Israel on 25 December 2005 and thereafter deported.

Kim Howells: Our embassy in Tel Aviv investigated the detention of Theresa McDermott on 25 December 2005. Ms McDermott arrived in Israel for a conference on Celebrating Non Violent Resistance in Bethlehem and was refused entry to Israel because she has been on the black list" since June 2004 due to her participation in a demonstration at Bidu and her alleged connection to the International Solidarity Movement. Ms McDermott appealed the decision but, as the appeal was held after the date of the conference, the appeal therefore became obsolete. She was deported on 2 January 2006.
	Ms McDermott has previously tried to enter the Occupied Territories in May 2005 and was refused for the same reasons. In June 2005, Our Deputy Head of Mission wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Ms McDermott's behalf, asking for her to be allowed to enter Israel.

Torture

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what treaties relating to the use of torture (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the United States is a signatory.

Ian Pearson: The principal human rights treaties which prohibit torture to which both the United Kingdom and the United States are parties are the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The UK is party to the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK has also ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture and signed the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, both procedural treaties that establish visiting bodies which monitor states' compliance with their treaty obligations.

UK Citizens (Overseas Detention)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of all United Kingdom citizens who are being held without charge abroad and have been so held for a period of 12 months or more.

Kim Howells: We are aware of three British nationals who have been held without charge abroad for a period of 12 months or more. For confidentiality reasons, we are unable to give the names of any British nationals held abroad without their permission.

United States

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the number of individuals who have been subject to international rendition by the United States involving UK territory in each of the last 10 years.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37–38WS.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the legality of the EU-Morocco Fishing Agreement in respect of the waters off the coast of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The negotiation of such EC agreements falls within the responsibility of the European Commission. The Government will of course consider its position on the draft agreement as part of the approval process, and in order to do so is currently awaiting further information from the Commission.

TREASURY

North West Region

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between the level of skills in the work force and economic growth in the north west region; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Increases in the economy's trend rate of growth are supported by how many people are in work, and how productive they are.
	Skills are one of the drivers of productivity and jobs, which is why as a Government, we have more than doubled overall investment in education and skills since 1997.
	The NW development agency has led the preparation of the regional economic strategy, which sets out the contribution of skills to regional and local growth in the North West. And this week I met the chair and chief executive of the Skills for Business network, and I know that they and the local Learning and Skills Council are working out with the Rochdale development agency how the skills needs of the new Kingsway Business Park, which is set to bring around 7,000 jobs to my hon. Friend's area, can best be met.

Immunisation

Janet Dean: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he expects to make towards an international finance facility for immunisation at the forthcoming G8 meeting of international Finance Ministers in Russia; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The IFF for Immunisation (IFFIM) was launched in September 2005 with contributions from the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Since then, Norway has also announced its participation and we are continuing to urge other countries—including those in the G8—to join.
	The IFFIM will provide $4 billion over 10 years to support vaccinations in the world's poorest countries. It is estimated that the frontloaded IFFIM resources will save a total of 10 million lives.

Futurebuilders Fund

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out from the Futurebuilders Fund; and to how many recipients.

John Healey: The Futurebuilders Fund has committed more than £26 million through 130 grants and investments.
	A further 22 offers are currently being negotiated.

Capital Transfer Tax

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with interested parties on capital transfer tax.

Dawn Primarolo: No Treasury Ministers have had any recent discussions with interested parties on Capital Transfer Tax, which was abolished in 1986.

Women's Finances

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the need to encourage women to plan their finances for all of their lives.

Dawn Primarolo: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has commissioned a comprehensive baseline survey which will show the level of financial capability within the UK population. The results will be reported in March 2006.
	This will enable the FSA to monitor changes in financial capability and assess the effectiveness of measures under the National Strategy for Financial Capability.

Tax Credits

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of changing the tax credits income increase disregard from £2,500 to £25,000.

Dawn Primarolo: The increase in the disregard from £2,500 to £25,000 from April 2006 is part of a package of measures announced in the 2005 pre-Budget report that is expected to have the following Exchequer effect: -£100 million in 2006–07, +£200 million in 2007–08, +£50 million in 2008–09, -£50 million in 2009–10 and -£150 million in 2010–11.
	It is not possible to produce robust estimates of the impact of individual elements of the package of measures, as there are significant interactions between the different components.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which telephone numbers are being given to tax credit claimants who wish to make a complaint; what the average length of time taken is before a caller speaks to an adviser; and how many calls have been (a) answered, (b) unanswered and (c) handled by an adviser in each month since April 2003;
	(2)  how many calls were (a) made to and (b) answered by the tax credits helpline in each month from January to September.

Dawn Primarolo: A new code of practice which replaces the Inland Revenue code of practice 1 'Putting things right" and Customs and Excise Notice 1000 is planned and is being formulated. The current code of practice 1 quotes a telephone number 0151 966 1151 for callers to use if they wish to complain about tax credits. This number is no longer in operation and callers who wish to make a complaint are advised, by recorded message, to ring the tax credits helpline.
	A table setting out details of average length of time taken before a caller speaks to an adviser; and how may calls have been answered, abandoned and handled by an adviser in each month since July 2005 is shown in the table. For figures relating to April 2004 to June 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 July 2005, Official Report, column 721W.
	
		
			 Tax credits calls Average waiting time (minutes: seconds) Calls received (thousands) Calls abandoned (thousands) Calls handled (thousands) 
		
		
			 July 0:54 1,989 94 1,896 
			 August 1:18 2,474 184 2,290 
			 September 1:39 2,921 272 2,649 
			 October 0:48 1,668 67 1,601

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit renewals were not received by the deadline this year; how many termination notices were issued; and how many awards have been terminated;

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people who failed to renew their tax credit applications by the annual deadline in 2005 have ceased receiving payments;
	(2)  how many people did not renew their tax credit applications by the annual deadline in 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: At 30 September 2005 around 700,000 tax credits claimants had not renewed their award.
	Around 208,000 awards were terminated and not subsequently reinstated.

Tax Credits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) letters and (b) contacts through the MPs' hotline his Department has received from each hon. Member on the issue of tax credits, listed in descending order according to the total number of such representations received.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of letters about tax credits and calls to the MP hotline for all hon. Members is available only at disproportionate cost. However, between the resumption of Parliament on 10 October 2005 and 30 November 2005: an estimate indicates:
	(a) 20 right hon. and hon. Members have sent 10 or more letters to HM Treasury or HM Revenue and Customs about tax credits. Of those, one hon. Member has written 20 or more letters and one has written more than 30 letters about tax credits.
	(b) 26 right hon. and hon. Members have called tax credit office's MP hotline on 10 or more occasions. Of those, nine have called 20 or more times and one hon. Member has called 30 or more times.

Tax Credits

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit overpayments have been written off (a) in part and (b) in full in respect of Castle Point residents since tax credits were introduced.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available at constituency level and in the format requested.

Tax Credits

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families were in receipt of (a) less than £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £2,500, (c) between £2,500 and £5,000, (d) between £5,000 and £10,000, (e) between £10,000 and £20,000 and (f) above £20,000 of working tax credit and child tax credit in (i) the UK and (ii) Gravesham constituency in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the average number of in-work families in the UK during 2003–04 by level of annualised finalised tax credit entitlement.
	
		2003–04 Entitlement(1)
		
			 Thousands 
			  Number of awards 
		
		
			 Under £1,000(2) 2,092 
			 Between £1,000 and £2,500 579 
			 Between £2,500 and £5,000 676 
			 Between £5,000 and £10,000 931 
			 Between £10,000 and £20,000 58 
			 £20,000 and over(3) — 
			 All 4,336 
		
	
	(1) Annualised 2003–04 entitlement based on circumstances throughout the year and finalised 2003–04 incomes.
	(2) Excluding families with awards tapered to zero.
	(3) Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.
	The following table shows the average number of in-work families in the Gravesham constituency in 2003–04 by level of annualised finalised tax credit entitlement.
	
		2003–04 Entitlement(4)
		
			 Thousands 
			  Number of awards 
		
		
			 Under £1,000(5) 4.0 
			 Between £1,000 and £2,500 0.8 
			 Between £2,500 and £5,000 0.8 
			 Between £5,000 and £10,000 1.2 
			 Between £10,000 and £20,000(6) — 
			 20,000 and over(6) — 
			 All 7.0 
		
	
	(4) Annualised 2003–04 entitlement based on circumstances throughout the year and finalised 2003–04 incomes.
	(5) Excluding families with awards tapered to zero.
	(6) Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.
	Figures for later years are not yet available.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many claimants have reported a change in the number of people in their household in relation to a tax credit claim in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) type of tax credit and (b) region;
	(2)  how many claimants have had their tax credit payments (a) increased and (b) decreased as a result of reporting a change in the number of people in their household in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) type of tax credit, (ii) region and (iii) average amount.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1578W.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many tax credit claimants have reported changes in their income (a) within and (b) after three months of those changes taking effect other than changes caused by (i) a change in the number of adults in the household, (ii) leaving the UK and (iii) a fall in the claimant's childcare costs by more than £10 a week in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (A) type of tax credit and (B) region; how many of these claimants have had their tax credit payment (1) increased and (2) decreased; and by how much in each case;
	(2)  how many tax credit claimants have (a) reported and (b) reported after three months of the changes taking place changes in their income caused by (i) a change in their number of adults in the household within which the claimant lives, (ii) the claimant leaving the UK and (iii) a fall in the claimant's child care costs by more than £10 a week after three months of those changes taking effect in each year for which figures are available; and whether he will break these figures down by type of tax credit and by region.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested in the first question and part (b) of the second question is not available. Only annual income is required for tax credit purposes. When income change is notified within the year, records are updated with new income levels and entitlement is reassessed if necessary.
	In answer to the second question, for parts (a) and (b), where (i) and (ii) occur, the award would cease but this would not prompt a change in income. In the case of (iii) where there is a fall in child care costs, income would not be affected.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much has been waived in relation to overpayments of tax credit claimants as a consequence of official error having been admitted in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) type of tax credit and (b) region;
	(2)  in how many cases of tax credit overpayment (a) identified and (b) not identified at an annual review as a consequence of official error being admitted was overpayment (i) partially recovered and (ii) not recovered in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (A) type of tax credit and (B) region;
	(3)  in how many tax credit cases where it has been found (a) in connection with an annual review and (b) not in connection with an annual review that tax credits had been overpaid official error has been admitted in each year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) type of tax credit and (ii) region.

Dawn Primarolo: For the total amount of overpayments written off as a result of official error I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1214W.
	The amounts written off in October 2005 and November 2005 are around £11,000,000 and £4,000,000 respectively.
	It is not possible to break these amounts down between child tax credit and working tax credit or between regions.
	There is no information available about the number of overpayments partially written off. However, HMRC wrote off around 10,300 disputed overpayments in 2004–05 and around 153,000 between 4 April 2005 and 30 November 2005.
	HMRC's Code of Practice 26 'What happens if we have paid you too much Tax Credit?' explains how HMRC deals with overpayments made as a result of their error.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many telephone calls have been (a) made and (b) answered in relation to tax credit claims in each region in each year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Jenny Willott) on 17 January 2006, Official Report, column 1209W

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money he estimates has been lost due to (a) fraud and (b) error in each tax credit (i) in total and (ii) through online claims in each year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC are currently undertaking a programme of work on finalised 2003–04 awards—the first year of working tax credit and child tax credit—to provide more information on the level of claimant error and fraud. This is due to be completed in spring 2006.
	HMRC use a number of sophisticated tools to help detect fraudulent claims made for tax credits. Whenever possible this is aimed at stopping fraudulent claims from being paid but they also monitor payments to detect known traits of organised fraud. I refer the hon. Member to the statements I made to the House about organised fraud on 18 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1357–8W and 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 41WS.

Tax Credits

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the online system for claiming tax credits has been suspended in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 January 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 55WS.

Tax Credits

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been overpaid to tax credit recipients in West Lancashire constituency; and how many tax credit recipients received overpayments in each year since tax credits were introduced.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mrs. Dorries) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 321W.

Tax Credits

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff within HM Revenue and Customs have been tasked with investigating (a) tax credit fraud and (b) other criminal activity by organised gangs in each of the last three years, broken down by grade; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: To disclose details of the location and numbers of staff engaged in tackling serious and organised criminality would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.

Tax Credits

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many claims for working tax credit have been made by workers from the accession countries since May 2004; how many of these claims have been discovered to be fraudulent; what estimate he has made of the cost of such fraudulent claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much has been paid to workers from the accession countries in (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit since May 2004;
	(3)  how many incidents of alleged fraudulent claims by individuals from other EU member states for (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit have been reported to HM Revenue and Customs in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland; and how many of these reports have resulted in the payment of tax credits being stopped;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of (a) the number of fraudulent tax credit claims being made by individuals from other EU member states and (b) the cost of such claims.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	All claims for tax credits are checked thoroughly and any allegations of fraud investigated fully. When we find fraud we act quickly to shut it down and we can and do prosecute.

Public Finances (Forecasts)

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to improve the reliability of public finances forecasts.

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reliability of public finances forecasts.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave on the Floor of the House earlier today to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge), Official Report, column 1508.

House Prices

Nick Palmer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on trends in house prices and their impact on the economy.

John Healey: House prices have been stable for the past year, with prices over 2005 rising by around 3 per cent. The outlook for the near future is for further subdued growth. Stable house prices contribute to a less volatile economy, which has in turn enabled the UK economy to take full advantage of robust global economic growth, with steady domestic growth, low unemployment and low inflation.

Pension Contributions (Tax Relief)

Rob Marris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was foregone in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 in relation to tax relief on pension contributions.

Dawn Primarolo: Tax relief on contributions to approved pensions schemes is estimated at £16.3 billion in 2003–04, and £18.0 billion in 2004–05.

Manufacturing Industry

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the prospects for the performance of UK manufacturing in 2006.

John Healey: The Government's latest assessment of prospects for the manufacturing sector was set out in the 2005 pre-Budget report. As set out in table A9 of this report, manufacturing output is forecast to pick up to between 1 and 1.25 per cent. in 2006.

Development Aid

Ann Cryer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the prospects for progress on development aid under Russia's presidency of the G8; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: In 2005 the G8 made commitments on aid, debt relief and the promise of treatment for all AIDS sufferers by 2010. The UK's priority for 2006 is to ensure the international community delivers on these promises, including making progress on agreed targets for international aid.

EU Budget (Rebate)

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future value of the UK rebate within the EU budget.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's statement to the House on 19 December and to the reply given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dunbartonshire (Mr. McFall) on 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2796W.

Children's Trust Funds

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the take-up of children's trust funds has been among low-income families.

Dawn Primarolo: Child trust fund statistics are produced quarterly. The latest set were published on 30 November 2005 at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds.htm
	A statistical and distributional analysis of the child trust fund will be published in 2007.

Construction Industry (Taxation)

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the relative influence of the taxation system and the practice of individual contractors as causes of miscategorisation of construction workers as self-employed individuals.

John Healey: It is a general requirement that businesses correctly determine the employment status of individual workers by reference to the terms and conditions of the contract under which they are engaged.
	The Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) requires that subcontractors working within the industry register with HM Revenue and Customs. Some contractors in the construction industry operate under a misconception that holders of CIS registration cards or tax certificates, which are issued to show whether the holder should be paid gross or under deduction, are accepted as self-employed by HMRC. This is not the case and HMRC have worked with the industry to dispel this misunderstanding.
	The new construction industry scheme to be introduced in April 2007 will dispense with cards and certificates and remove this source of misunderstanding. It will also require contractors to consider properly the precise terms of engagement of each subcontractor so as to ensure that the right taxation consequences follow.

Construction Industry (Taxation)

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of compliance for payments of deductions to HM Revenue and Customs under the Construction Industry Scheme was in each year since it was introduced.

John Healey: Deductions from payments made to subcontractors under the Construction Industry Scheme are paid by contractors to HM Revenue and Customs monthly along with any PAYE and NICs due in respect of the contractor's employees. It is not possible to separate out the CIS element of those payments.

Construction Industry (Taxation)

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contractors had their gross payment status revoked for the tax year (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2005–06.

John Healey: No record is kept of the number of sub-contractors who lose their entitlement to gross payment status.

Construction Industry (Taxation)

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reform of the Construction Industry Scheme.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1106W.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer the letter to him dated 10 November 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms Ruckshah Choudhury.

Dawn Primarolo: I have already done so.

Departmental Staff

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants in his Department worked from home for at least one day a week in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The Treasury actively promotes flexible working arrangements. A central record is not maintained of staff working from home.

Departmental Vehicles

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars are (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; what models the cars are; what type of petrol each model requires; and what the fuel efficiency is of each model.

John Healey: The Treasury does not own any cars. The GCS provides six cars to the Treasury's Ministers and the permanent secretary. For vehicles provided to Government Departments by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport has asked the chief executive of the GCDA to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

EDS

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total cost, including legal fees, of reaching the settlement with EDS concerning tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: The costs, including legal fees, from the time the claim for compensation became litigious were around £4.5 million.

EDS

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which legal firms were involved in the settlement with EDS for problems with the tax credit system on which Queen's Counsels opinions were sought; how many hours were charged by lawyers for work in connection with the settlement; and how many face to face meetings took place between (a) lawyers and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff and (b) the HMRC's lawyers and EDS's lawyers.

Dawn Primarolo: Morrison & Foerster and Pinsent Masons were the law firms involved.
	Jeremy Storey QC provided the principal advice. Sir Jeremy Lever QC advised on a narrow point in the settlement agreement.
	The hours charged by solicitors and Counsel for work in connection with the prospective litigation and the settlement came to 9,496.
	There were many more meetings between lawyers and HMRC staff than can be readily enumerated. There were 18 meetings attended by legal representatives of HMRC and EDS.

EDS

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the written advice from (a) internal and (b) external lawyers recommending accepting the settlement with EDS concerning compensation for problems with the tax credit system.

Dawn Primarolo: This advice is legally privileged and commercially sensitive. It would therefore be wrong to make it available in the way suggested.
	HMRC retains the ability to revive its Claim against EDS if the settlement sum is not paid in full. Disclosure of this legal advice could prevent that, thereby depriving HMRC of its main enforcement mechanism.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings of the EU (a) Advisory Committee for coordination in the internal market field, (b) Advisory Committee on opening up public contracts, (c) Customs Cooperation Subcommittee—EEC-Albania and (d) Customs Cooperation Subcommittee—EEC-Bulgaria have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Internal Market Advisory Committee met once on 18 November 2005, chaired by a senior official from the European Commission. The UK was represented by an official from the Department for Trade and Industry.
	The Advisory Committee on opening up public contracts met on 25 October 2005, chaired by the European Commission. The UK was represented by the Office of Government Commerce. Agendas for meetings of this group are forwarded by the OGC to the Scottish Executive, who may attend at their discretion. No representative of the Scottish Executive attended on 25 October.
	There have been no meetings of the Customs Cooperation Subcommittee—EEC-Albania during the UK presidency.
	There have been no meetings of the Customs Cooperation Subcommittee—EEC-Bulgaria during the UK presidency.
	With the exception of the Advisory Committee on opening up public contracts, these working groups deal with reserved matters and as such no provision was made for representation of the devolved Administrations.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings of the EU (a) Customs Cooperation Subcommittee-EEC-Israel, (b) Customs Cooperation Subcommittee-EEC-Hong Kong, (c) EEC- Mexico Special Committee on Customs Cooperation and (d) Advisory Committee on the Communities' own resources have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows:
	(a) There have been no meetings of the Customs Cooperation Subcommittee-EEC-Israel during the UK presidency.
	(b) There was one meeting of the EC-Hong Kong Joint Customs Cooperation Committee during the UK presidency on 18 November, Co-chaired by European Commission and Hong Kong Customs. Officials from Foreign and Commonwealth Office and HMRC represented the UK presidency. No provision was made for representation of the devolved governments.
	(c) The EEC-Mexico Special Committee on Customs Cooperation met once during the UK presidency on the 21 October 2005 in Brussels, chaired by the Commission.
	The UK was represented by officials from the UK Permanent Representation to the EU. This was attended by UKRep.
	(d) There were three meetings of the Advisory Committee on the Communities' own resources during the UK presidency, on 7 July, 13/14 October and 8 December. The Commission chaired these meetings. The UK representatives were officials from HMRC.
	These working groups deal with reserved matters and as such no provision was made for representation of the devolved Administrations.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings of the EU (a) Customs Cooperation Committee-EEC-San Marino and (b) EEC-Denmark-Faroe Islands Joint Committee have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows:
	(a) There have been no meetings of the Customs Cooperation Committee-EEC- San Marino during the UK presidency.
	(b) There has been one meeting of the EEC-Denmark-Faroe Islands Joint Committee during the UK presidency on 8 December 2005. The Commission represents the EC—apart from Denmark, no member state attended.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings of the EU (a) Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland) on the simplification of inspections and formalities (and working party), (b) Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC- Norway), (c) Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Iceland) and (d) Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland-Liechtenstein) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows:
	(a) There has been one meeting of the Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland) on the simplification of inspections and formalities (and working party) and the (d) Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland-Liechtenstein) during the UK presidency on 27 October 2005. The Commission represents the EC.
	(b) There were no meetings of the Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Norway) during the UK presidency.
	(c) There have been no meetings of the Customs Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Iceland) during the UK presidency.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings of the EU (a) European Area Joint Committee, (b) Joint Committee with the countries of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), (c) Joint Committee on the Agreement concerning products of the clock and watch industry between the EEC and Switzerland and (d) Joint Committee on the Agreement between Switzerland and the EEC on the processing traffic in textiles have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representations of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows:
	(a) The European Economic Area Joint Committee is made up of representatives of the EEA EFTA States and the European Commission and met on 8 July, 30 September, 21 October and 2 December. The UK did not attend.
	(b) We are not aware of any meetings of the Joint Committee with the countries of the European Free Trade Association" during the UK presidency; however representatives of the Finance Ministries of the EFTA countries met in Brussels alongside the ECOFIN Council meeting on 8 November. The Paymaster General chaired a meeting with EFTA on behalf of the EU Presidency.
	(c) The Joint Committee on the Agreement concerning products of the clock and watch industry between the EEC and Switzerland did not meet during the UK presidency.
	(d) There was one meeting of the Joint Committee on the Agreement between Switzerland and the EEC on 27 October 2005. The Commission represents the EC.
	These working groups deal with reserved matters and as such no provision was made for representation of the devolved Administrations.

Financial Services Authority

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial impact of the work of the Financial Services Authority on firms of independent financial advisers with (a) up to five employees and (b) with more than five employees; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The FSA is working with independent consultants to assess the cost of financial regulation on firms. The Chairman of the FSA will write with more details of this work.

Financial Services Authority

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters of complaint the Department received about the Financial Services Authority in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004.

Ivan Lewis: The Treasury does not keep this information and could obtain it only at disproportionate cost.

HMRC

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the full-time equivalent staffing complement is of each HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office in (a) the Isle of Wight and (b) Hampshire; what proportion of that complement is filled in each office; what percentage of those employed have worked for HMRC for (i) less than one year, (ii) one to two years, (iii) three to five years, (iv) six to 10 years and (v) more than 10 years; and what the annual expenditure was by each office on job advertising in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is given in the tables.
	
		Hampshire
		
			  Andover Basingstoke Portsmouth Southampton Winchester Grand total Percentage length of service 
		
		
			 Less than 1 year — — 72.0 20.7 — 92.7 3.98 
			 1 to 2 years 1.6 — 194.7 122.3 8.5 327.1 14.04 
			 3 to 5 years 9.0 — 244.0 131.9 5.0 389.9 16.74 
			 6 to 0 years 4.0 — 159.2 54.7 6.7 224.5 9.64 
			 Over 10 years 18.6 7.5 742.9 495.9 30.7 1295.6 55.61 
			 Total 33.1 7.5 1412.8 825.5 50.9 2329.8 100.00 
		
	
	
		Isle of Wight
		
			  Percentage Percentage length of service 
		
		
			 Less than 1 year — 0.00 
			 1 to 2 years 6.4 9.10 
			 3 to 5 years 3.0 4.30 
			 6 to 10 years 3.8 5.46 
			 Over 10 years 56.7 81.15 
			 Totals 69.8 100.00 
		
	
	Information relating to recruitment advertising costs is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HMRC

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the lease will expire on the HM Revenue and Customs office in Newport, Isle of Wight; how many premises are under consideration for its relocation; and how many (a) full-time equivalent employees and (b) employees are expected to be accommodated in the premises being sought.

Dawn Primarolo: The lease at 33 St. James Street, Newport, Isle of Wight will expire on 24 March 2006 although HMRC occupation of the building has been extended until 31 May 2006.
	There are three premises under consideration for staff relocation, all located in Newport.
	There are approximately 56 staff located at 33 St. James Street. HMRC also occupy 88/91 St. James St where approximately 14 staff are based. There is additional capacity in that building to accommodate another eight to 10 staff. The department is therefore looking to acquire a new building that can accommodate the balance, taking into account our projections of staff likely to remain on the island in both the short and long-term.

HMRC

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the evidence of the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs to the Public Administration Committee on 20 October 2005, question 78, on the tax credit IT system, if he will list those improvements and interventions made; and on what date each came into effect.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been two releases for the tax credit IT system during 2005, the first in spring 2005 and the second in autumn 2005.
	The tax credits release in spring 2005 made improvements to the following areas:
	the claim form
	the award notice
	to customer guidance
	functionality for finalising and renewing awards
	functionality for managing overpayments, including functionality to enable Tax Credit Office to adjust the level of payments to avoid hardship for customers
	support for compliance risk assessment
	payment accounting and reconciliation
	This release also created new functionality to ensure that children from low-income families can receive the additional child trust fund endowment to which they are entitled.
	The tax credits release in autumn 2005 made improvements to the following areas:
	replacement of payment through the employer with direct payment
	data matching to increase protection against non-compliance while reducing unnecessary delays for compliant customers
	payment accounting and reconciliation
	functionality for paying additional child trust fund endowments
	This release also created new functionality for civil partnerships and gender recognition.

Identity Fraud

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what training the Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs staff deal with a wide range of functions and their training varies depending on the operational need of the particular business unit and staff involved. Customer confidentiality and identification training is provided for customer-facing staff and in addition specialist training and guidance is provided in some business areas.

Inheritance Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much revenue was raised from inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97;
	(2)  how many estates paid inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97.

Dawn Primarolo: Regional annual figures for inheritance tax receipts and estates paying inheritance tax by Government office region are not available.
	The totals for inheritance tax receipts are published in Table 1.2 Annual Receipts of Inland Revenue taxes. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm.
	The totals of estates paying inheritance tax are published in Table 1.4 Estimated number of taxpayers. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm.

Iraq

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's most recent estimate is of the cost of the British presence in Iraq, broken down by (a) military and (b) reconstruction costs in each month since the start of the conflict.

Des Browne: The Treasury does not estimate costs for Iraq in the manner requested.
	The net additional costs of operations in Iraq, as recorded in the Ministry of Defence's annual reports and accounts total £3,068 million as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 2002–03 847 
			 2003–04 1,311 
			 2004–05 910 
		
	
	The costs of operations in Iraq in 2005–06 will depend on force levels and operational tempo.
	At the Madrid Donors' conference in October 2003, the Government announced a total UK pledge of £544 million towards the reconstruction effort in Iraq. To date, the Department for International Development have committed £423 million and disbursed over £350 million.

London Congestion Charge Zone

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the change in (a) VAT, (b) corporation tax and (c) national insurance contributions receipts which would arise from the extension of the London congestion charge zone.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government do not hold the figures requested, which would be extremely complex to estimate. The London congestion charge is the responsibility of the Mayor of London, who has published an assessment of the potential impacts of the planned Western Extension.

Long-term Savings

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to provide long-term security and reasonable return on long-term savings invested in the private sector.

Des Browne: The Government have established a system of financial services regulation that works through the regulator, the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to provide statutory protection for consumers.
	These bodies are independent of Government, although subject to the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. They replaced a collection of multiple regulators, complaint adjudicators, and compensation schemes.
	Under The Pension Act 2004, the Government have also established The Pension Regulator and the Pension Protection Fund to protect the interests of members of occupational pension schemes.
	Returns on long-term savings invested in the private sector are for the market to determine and lie outside the Government's remit.

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list private finance initiative projects which have been refinanced in each year since 1997; and what the value of each project was;
	(2)  how many private finance initiative projects were subject to refinancing in 2005; what the refinancing gain was in each case; and how much of this gain the relevant government body received through (a) a lump sum and (b) a reduction in the unitary charge.

John Healey: The table shows all recorded refinancings of PFI projects since 1997 and the value of each project.
	There were five PFI projects, subject to refinancing in 2005. The following list shows the date the refinancing closed, the amount of the gain and the authority's share:
	London borough of Tower Hamlets Groups Schools, 8 March 2005, no refinancing gain, no authority share.
	Laganside Courts, 15 July 2005, refinancing gain £2.41 million, authority share £0.722 million.
	Nottingham Tram, 10 November 2005, the outcome of the Authority's negotiations on gain share is yet to be confirmed.
	Tyne and Wear Fire Services, November/December 2005, no refinancing gain, no authority share.
	Greater Manchester Police Authority, 22 December 2005, total refinancing gain £1.02 million, total authority share £0.607 million.
	Additionally, the BBC White City project was not concluded under a PFI structural framework, but shares many similar characteristics.
	BBC White City, 23 March 2005, total refinancing gain £90 million. Total authority gains £62.00 million.
	The list shows the refinancing gain in each case and produces a total refinancing gain of £93.42 million of which £63.329 million was for the public sector.
	Information regarding how much gain the relevant government body received through a lump sum, or reduction in unitary charge, is not collated centrally.
	
		Refinancings completed as of 25 January 2006
		
			 Project name Sponsor department Date refinanced Value (£ million) Comments 
		
		
			 Refinancings taking place before the Code   
			 Colfox School DFES 1 June 1999 15.60  
			 Royal Armouries Museum—Refinancing DCMS 1 July 1999 42.00  
			 Altcourse (Fazackerley) Prison HO Prison Service 1 November 1999 88.00  
			 Ashfield (Pucklechurch) Prison HO Prison Service 1 January 2000 30.70  
			 Dovegate (Marchington) Prison HO Prison Service 1 January 2000 64.00  
			 Hassockfield (Meadomsley) STC HO 1 January 2000 10.00  
			 Kilmarnock Prison Scot Exec 1 January 2000 32.00  
			 Lowdham Grange Prison HO Prison Service 1 January 2000 32.00  
			 Sussex Weald and Downs NHST—Graylingwell Hosp. Reprovision Chichester DoH 1 February 2001 27.00  
			 A19 Dishforth to Tyne Tunnel DBFO DfT (Highways) 1 March 2001 29.00  
			 "Heart of the City" Offices ODPM 1 April 2001 20.00  
			 Parc Bridgend) Prison HO Prison Service 1 May 2001 74.00  
			 Balfron School Scot Exec 1 June 2001 16.50  
			 Dundee Ninewells Psychiatric Services Scot Exec 1 June 2001 10.00  
			 Mearns Primary and St. Ninian's High School Scot Exec 1 June 2001 12.50  
			 Newcastle Estate Development IR 1 June 2001 163.80  
			 HM Customs and Excise—IT Infrastructure PFI C&E 1 July 2001 20.00  
			 M1—A1 Link Road (Lofthouse to Bramham) DfT (Highways) 1 September 2001 214.00  
			 M40 Junctions 1 to 15 DfT (Highways) 1 October 2001 130.00  
			 Antarctic Survey Ship DTI 31 December 2001 22.00  
			 North Wiltshire DC—Property Rationalisation ODPM 1 January 2002 7.00  
			 Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge Defra 1 February 2002 21.00  
			 Calderdale Hospital DoH 1 May 2002 65.60  
			 Joint Services Command and Staff College MoD 1 June 2002 93.00  
			 Manchester Inland Revenue Accommodation Project IR 1 July 2002 32.00  
			  
			 Refinancings taking place under the Code (ie 30/70 per cent. split authority/private sector) 
			 A69 Carlisle to Newcastle DBFO DfT (Highways) 1 May 2004 9.00  
			 A30/A35 Exeter to Bere Regis DBFO DfT (Highways) 7 November 2002 75.00  
			 A50/A564 Stoke-Derby Link DBFO DfT (Highways) 7 November 2002 21.00  
			 Bute Avenue Wales 12 February 2003 45.00  
			 Debden Park School DFES 31 March 2003 17.70  
			 Hillingdon—Barnhill School DFES 1 May 2003 18.80  
			 Cardinal Heenan (VA) School DFES 20 May 2003 7.70  
			 Central Scotland Family Quarters—Bannockburn MoD 10 June 2003 25.00  
			 Haringey Schools DFES 11 September 2003 62.50  
			 Bridlington Schools DFES 10 September 2003 26.00  
			 Brent Jews Free School DFES 22 September 2003 9.00  
			 Bromley NHST—New Hosp DoH 28 April 2004 156.00  
			 Hairmyres Hospital Scot Exec 24 August 2004 92.00  
			 Medium Support Helicopter MOD 30 December 2004 114.00  
			 Sheffield Schools DFES 15 December 2004 58.80  
			 Dartford and Gravesham Hospital NHS Trust DoH 25 March 2003 122.00  
			 Norwich and Norfolk Health Care NHS Trust DoH 18 December 2003 335.00  
			 LB Tower Hamlets Group Schools DFES 8 March 2005 88.50 2005 refinancing 
			 Laganside Courts First Secretary of State acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Court Service 15 July 2005 28.20 2005 refinancing. 
			 Nottingham tram DfT 10 November 2005 172.00 2005 refinancing; details to be finalised. 
			  
			 SOPC gain-sharing (ie post-Code, 50/50 gain share)  
			 East Lothian Council—Schools and Community Facilities PPP SE 11 March 2004 45.00  
			 Tyne and Wear Fire Services ODPM November/December 2005 30.00 2005 refinancing. 
			 Tube Lines Ltd.—London Underground TfL 11 May 2004 2,079.00  
			 Greater Manchester Police Authority HO 22 December 2005 76.90 2005 refinancing, numbers estimates at present to be finalised shortly 
			 Total   4,986  
			 Total for 2005   396  
			  
			 Other projects 
			 Second Severn Crossing DfT (Highways) 31 December 2002 331.00  
			 BBC White City DCMS 23 March 2005 365.00 2005 refinancing 
			 Grand total   5,682  
		
	
	Notes:
	1. This is a list of UK-wide local and central government completed refinancings notified to PUK
	2. The code referred to is a voluntary code of conduct on the sharing of refinancing gains on PFI projects, introduced in 2002.

Public Sector Pay

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on public sector pay.

Des Browne: Treasury Ministers receive a wide range of representations, in different forms, from different groups, bodies and individuals. There are different pay setting processes across the public sector and it is the responsibility of the relevant decision-making body to consider any representations that have been made.

Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department received the application to approve the private finance initiative contract for the Queen Alexandra hospital, Portsmouth; and when approval was given.

John Healey: Department for Health Ministers submitted the application for the private finance initiative contract for the Queen Alexandra hospital, Portsmouth on 15 November 2005. The Chief Secretary provided Treasury approval on 9 December 2005.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing unlisted real estate investment trusts; and what representations he has received on this.

John Healey: As set out in the 2005 pre-Budget report, the UK Real Estate Investment Trust regime will be open to qualifying property companies that are publicly listed on a recognised stock exchange as defined for tax purposes. The Government have consulted extensively on Real Estate Investment Trusts, and summaries of responses to these consultations were published alongside the 2005 Budget and pre-Budget report. Draft legislation to establish Real Estate Investment Trusts was released for consultation on 14 December 2005. Updated draft legislation, including clauses relating to groups of companies, will be published tomorrow. Copies will be available in the Libraries of both Houses and on HM Revenue and Customs' website, www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Government continue to consult extensively with representatives of the property and investment industries.

Special Compliance Office Staff

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent staff have worked in the Revenue's special compliance office in each month of the last five years; how many and what proportion of them have worked on tax credits in each of the last three years; and what the administrative cost was of the special compliance office in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The table shows, on a monthly basis for each of the last five years, the number of full-time equivalent staff working in the special compliance office of the Inland Revenue and HMRC.
	
		Monthly staff in post for the past five years
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 January 486 616 683 789 823 
			 February 475 621 690 796 826 
			 March 470 623 718 797 821 
			 April 479 623 734 791 812 
			 May 499 628 739 801 812 
			 June 550 627 750 805 799 
			 July 574 638 759 808 816 
			 August 572 638 764 810 796 
			 September 568 645 764 811 794 
			 October 572 642 769 804 788 
			 November 586 669 775 827 791 
			 December 618 652 786 830 — 
		
	
	It is not possible to identify the proportion allocated to tax credits work.
	Cost information on the special compliance office is available only for 2001–2004, as follows:
	
		
			  Administrative cost on special compliance office (£ million) 
		
		
			 2001 29.96 
			 2002 27.75 
			 2003 30.59 
			 2004 35.30

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funds have been returned to (a) individuals and (b) businesses as a refund of interest charges on late payments of stamp duty land tax in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs announced on 5 September 2005 that it had discovered a deficiency in its legal powers to charge interest on late payments of stamp duty land tax for the period from 1 December 2003 to 25 September 2005 inclusive, and that it would identify and repay (with supplementary interest) charges levied in error for this period. The total amount of interest wrongly charged was £1.5 million. HMRC started to make refunds in November 2005 and will complete all repayments by the target date of 31 January 2006. Refunds are made directly to the purchaser or lessee concerned. Information breaking down refunds to individuals and businesses is not collected.

Unemployment

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the unemployment rate was in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each year from 2003 to 2005; and what the employment rate was in each as a percentage of the working age population.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 January 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment and unemployment rates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. (45202)
	The attached table gives the levels and rates of the number of employed people of working age and unemployed people aged 16 and over for the above countries and the UK, for the years 2003 to 2005.
	Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistic's Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		People in employment and those who are unemployed by country of residence: United KingdomFour quarter average
		
			  Employment(7) Unemployment 16+ 
			  Thousands Percentage(8) Thousands Percentage(9) 
		
		
			 2003 
			 UK 27,003 74.6 1,451 4.9 
			 England 22,709 75.0 1,200 4.9 
			 Wales 1,263 72.6 64 4.6 
			 Scotland 2,323 74.3 145 5.7 
			 Northern Ireland 708 68.3 43 5.5 
			  
			 2004 
			 UK 27,157 74.7 1,395 4.7 
			 England 22,848 75.1 1,150 4.6 
			 Wales 1,259 72.1 61 4.5 
			 Scotland 2,343 75.0 146 5.7 
			 Northern Ireland 707 67.7 37 4.9 
			  
			 2005 
			 UK 27,218 74.7 1,426 4.8 
			 England 22,890 75.0 1,188 4.8 
			 Wales 1,257 71.8 62 4.5 
			 Scotland 2,349 75.2 140 5.4 
			 Northern Ireland 723 68.9 37 4.7 
		
	
	(7) Includes men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
	(8) In employment as a percentage of all persons of working age in each country.
	(9) Unemployed aged 16 and over as a percentage of economically active aged 16 and over in each country.
	Note:
	Data based on average of four quarters each year. (2003: four quarters of period March 2003 to February 2004; 2004: four quarters of period March 2004 to February 2005; 2005: four quarters of period December 2004 to November 2005).
	Source:
	ONS—Labour Force Survey

VAT (Commemorative Headstones)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to exempt commemorative headstones for graves from VAT.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2275W.

VAT Fraud

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he intends to bring forward legislation to combat missing trader intra community, or carousel, VAT fraud as a consequence of the European Court of Justice judgment in the joined cases of Optigen Limited, Fulcrum Electronics Limited and Bond House Systems Limited;
	(2)  what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of its total liability for VAT refunds as a consequence of the European Court of Justice judgment in the joined cases of Optigen Limited, Fulcrum Electronics Limited and Bond Houses Systems Limited;
	(3)  what the implications are of the European Court of Justice judgment in the joined cases of Optigen Limited, Fulcrum Electronics Limited and Bond Houses Systems Limited; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government note the decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and will, of course, follow the guidance it has given. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will now consider the detail of the ruling in order to determine the extent to which it applies to their previous decisions. The amounts claimed as recoverable VAT by the three traders total almost £40 million.
	It is not possible to give a precise figure of the total amount that may be repaid to all traders affected by the decision, as the status of each case is being reviewed in the light of the ECJ's guidance and other action to protect the revenue may be taken.
	The Government remain determined to tackle Missing Trader Intra Community (MTIC) VAT fraud and the criminals perpetrating it. HMRC is intensifying its operational activities throughout the UK and its co-operation with other countries to combat this fraud.
	In order to strengthen further our strategy to combat VAT fraud, the Government have made an application to the European Commission (EC) for a derogation from the provisions of the EC sixth VAT directive to enable it to introduce a reverse charge procedure for transactions between VAT-registered businesses in certain goods. The Government consider this measure to be a proportionate response to MTIC fraud. This is only one facet of a comprehensive strategy designed to thwart MTIC fraud by taking the criminal profit out of the transaction.
	This measure will be targeted on those goods used in MTIC fraud, in particular mobile telephones, computer chips and some other similar electronic items. However, the Government will also be monitoring very closely how those carrying out this fraud react to this measure and will not hesitate to act to prevent any further threats to the tax system.

PRIME MINISTER

Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to (a) review and (b) reform the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.

Tony Blair: No.

Rendition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Prime Minister when he was first informed of the United States policy on international rendition.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Mr. Kennedy) at Prime Minister's Questions on 7 December 2005, Official Report, columns 862–63.

TRANSPORT

A46 (Nottinghamshire)

Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to public funds has been to date of the promotion of, preparation for, design of and public consultation on the proposed improvements to the A46 between Widmerpool and Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire.

Stephen Ladyman: The A46 Newark to Widmerpool Improvement scheme was added to the National Roads programme in May 1989 and was withdrawn in 1997. There are no records of historic costs for this period. Since its re-introduction and entry into the Targeted Programme of Improvements the cost to public funds for the development of the scheme has been £10.2 million (exc. VAT).

Audible Fire Alarms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the premises occupied by his Department is fitted with audible fire alarms.

Karen Buck: 100 per cent. of departmental premises that require audible fire alarms, as determined by the departments risk assessment of the premises, are fitted with audible fire alarms.
	However the Department does have a number of small, regional operational sites, such as vehicle test stations and coastguard sites, for which information is not collected in the form required and an audit of the departmental estate could only be conducted at disproportionate cost. The Department is committed to ensuring compliance with fire safety law in premises it occupies. That includes provision of fire detection and warning systems that are appropriate to the circumstances of the case.

Aylesbury North (Railway Station)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the proposed construction of an Aylesbury North railway station.

Derek Twigg: On 15 January, the Department received proposals, including a business case, from Chiltern Railways for a new station at Aylesbury Vale Parkway. We will be considering these submissions during 2006.

C2C Rail Line (Benfleet)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the need for additional rolling stock on the c2c rail line to Benfleet; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1464W. The two remaining units referred to in my answer due to return to c2c by the end of December 2005 have now been returned, increasing capacity on the route.
	It is for the operator to ensure that sufficient rolling stock is available to deliver the train service specified in the franchise agreement.

Concessionary Travel

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he plans to make of the number of (a) people aged 60 and over and (b) disabled people obtaining bus passes under the Government's concessionary fare schemes; and what funding is being made available by central Government to provide free travel outside district and unitary authority boundaries.

Karen Buck: The percentage of people 60 and over holding a bus pass will be estimated using data from the National Travel Survey, a continuous household survey. The Department will be surveying local authorities on their concessionary fares schemes, and will be asking for the number of bus passes issued to disabled people.
	The Government are providing an extra £350 million for 2007–08 which will be sufficient to fund the cost to local authorities of introducing free local off-peak bus travel. As now, there will be no specific central Government funding for cross-boundary travel. Local authorities will have discretion to work together to provide travel outside their area, as they do at present, based on their judgment of local needs and their overall financial priorities.

Concessionary Travel

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pensioners in (a) the Tees Valley and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland will qualify for free off-peak bus travel from April.

Karen Buck: The number of residents aged 60 or older who will qualify for free off-peak bus travel in (a) the five unitary authorities which comprise the Tees Valley, is 137,200. This is from mid-2004 population estimates from the Office for National Statistics. In (b) the Parliamentary Constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, over 17,100 people were of retirement age; that is men aged 65 or older and women aged 60 or older, at the time of the 2001 census.

Consultancy Contracts

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total amount spent by (a) his Department and (b) the Highways Agency on consultancy contracts was in each of the past five years.

Karen Buck: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 13W, to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir).

Crossrail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the final construction cost of Crossrail.

Derek Twigg: The estimate of expense submitted with the Crossrail hybrid Bill in February 2005 estimates the cost of Crossrail as £10.292 billion in first quarter 2002 prices.

Cycling

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget he has made available for improvements to facilities for cycling in each of the past five years.

Derek Twigg: The Department provides funding for cycling through the local transport plan settlement and English local highway authorities outside London have informed the Department that their investment in cycle facilities for each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 29.58 
			 2002–03 39.90 
			 2003–04 32.13 
			 2004–05(10) 38.89 
			 2005–06(10) 35.39 
		
	
	(10)Estimate
	London boroughs also receive funding from the Department via a block settlement through Transport for London and TfL estimate they have invested a further £50 million over this period from this source.
	To supplement this spend, the Department has provided an additional budget for cycling programmes and initiatives. A further £4.37 million was allocated in 2002–03 and 2003–04 and £10.56 million in 2004–05. The Department has also awarded Cycling England a budget of £5 million for 2005–06 to fund their work plan aimed at encouraging an increase in cycling of which £3.15 million has been allocated for cycle facilities.

Departmental Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in each grade have left his Department in each of the last three years to join consultancy firms; and which firm each joined.

Karen Buck: Under the business appointment rules, staff are required to submit an application for approval to accept an outside appointment following resignation or retirement from Crown service. All senior civil servants must seek formal approval for any outside appointments within two years of leaving the Department. There have been two members of staff below the senior civil service and three senior civil servants who have left the civil service and taken up appointment with a consultancy within the past three years.
	Identifying individual firms might lead to individual's identities being revealed.

Departmental Estate

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) land and (b) property his Department owns in the Southend, West constituency.

Karen Buck: The Department owns no land or property in the Southend, West constituency.

Insurance Certificates (Display)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it mandatory for certificates of insurance to be displayed on the windscreens of vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: We are not persuaded that a windscreen disc would help reduce uninsured driving and have no plans to make them mandatory. During 2004 Professor David Greenaway of Nottingham University carried out a review of motor insurance arrangements in the UK to see what could be done to tackle the problem of uninsured driving.
	He considered windscreen insurance discs but reached the conclusion that they were unlikely to have any significant or long-term impact on uninsured driving and did not recommend them.

Ladbroke Grove Crash

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1857–58W, on the Ladbroke Grove crash, when he expects the remaining four recommendations from public inquiry reports to be implemented.

Derek Twigg: The four outstanding recommendations and the anticipated completion dates are:
	1.Pilot schemes (on train protection) using ETCS or ETCS elements should be carried out.
	Trial of ERTMS on the Cambrian line is due to enter service in 2008.
	2.The selective fitment of GSM-R (a radio system) in advance of ETCS fitment to trains should be considered.
	3.There should be a national system of direct radio communication between trains and signallers.
	Network Rail is implementing GSM-R across the network, starting with Strathclyde during 2006 with full national completion due in 2012.
	4.Suppliers of products or services of a safety-critical kind should be required to hold an accreditation but the features of such a system require further study.
	The Railway Industry Supplier Approval Scheme is scheduled to be rolled out throughout 2006, starting in March.

Marine Environment

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans (a) to announce the location of marine environment high risk areas in waters within UK jurisdiction and (b) to consult on the proposed protective measures for these areas.[R]

Stephen Ladyman: We will make an announcement on marine environmental high risk areas (MEHRAs) shortly.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the national targets are for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and what the performance of offices in South Devon is in relation to those targets.

Stephen Ladyman: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's Ministerial Targets for the 2005–06 business year appear on page 19 of the agency's annual plan and accounts 2005, which is also available on the agency's website, www.mcga.gov.uk. They focus on search and rescue response times, ship survey and inspection targets and other projects, including prevention.
	Agency performance against these targets will be published in the MCA's annual plan and accounts 2006, following audit and ministerial scrutiny, but performance of specific offices are not published.

P-plate Scheme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what consultations his Department undertook on introducing a compulsory probationary P-plate scheme for newly-qualified drivers;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage take-up of the P-plate scheme among newly-qualified drivers.

Stephen Ladyman: A compulsory P-plate scheme was one of the options discussed in the Department's consultation paper, A Structured Approach to Learning to Drive", published in 2002. The decision letter responding to that consultation, published in August 2004, explained that Ministers had decided against additional regulation of newly-qualified drivers, and no further work has therefore been done on a P-plate scheme. Copies of the consultation paper and the decision letter were placed in the Library of the House and are also available online at—http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/contentserver template/dft_index.hcst?n=10204&l=2.
	The Department also commissioned research in September 2003 on the likely impact of a trial P-plate scheme, during which free plates would be issued to all those passing the practical driving test. This study found so much resistance to P-plate use within the target population, however, that the trial itself was abandoned. A short report on this project will be published by the Department in due course.

Road Building

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public expenditure per head on new road building was in each of the counties of England for (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 in descending order; and what the planned spending is for 2006–07 in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department for Transport does not hold centrally information on all public expenditure per head on new road building.
	The following tables contain public expenditure per head in each year for those authorities/counties in England which have new Highways Agency roads or local authority roads built at a cost of £5 million of more. There are separate Highways Agency and local authority programmes of expenditure on road improvements costing less than £5 million. However, it is not possible to identify separately within these programmes new road building schemes from other types of road improvement. Therefore this information is not included.
	
		
			  County/authority 2004–05 public expenditure per head (£) 
		
		
			 Stoke-on-Trent 78.74 
			 Peterborough 67.19 
			 Bedfordshire 40.44 
			 Staffordshire 36.76 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 36.36 
			 Medway 29.87 
			 Surrey 24.52 
			 Nottinghamshire 23.01 
			 Greater Manchester 21.91 
			 Southend-on-Sea 21.55 
			 Hertfordshire 18.45 
			 Kent 16.05 
			 Northumberland 15.28 
			 Lincolnshire 14.63 
			 South Yorkshire 14.52 
			 Suffolk 14.16 
			 Cambridgeshire 12.75 
			 South Gloucestershire 11.15 
			 Somerset 11.06 
			 Rutland 10.96 
			 Leicestershire 9.58 
			 Durham 8.23 
			 East Sussex 7.95 
			 North Yorkshire 7.19 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 7.04 
			 Gloucestershire 6.58 
			 Buckinghamshire 4.66 
			 Tyne and Wear 4.37 
			 Norfolk 4.30 
			 Wiltshire 4.00 
			 West Midlands 3.92 
			 Reading 3.61 
			 Swindon 3.40 
			 Shropshire 3.37 
			 Cumbria 2.24 
			 Essex 1.54 
			 Warwickshire 0.89 
			 West Yorkshire 0.51 
			 Worcestershire 0.49 
			 Wokingham 0.07 
			 Rutland 164.38 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 93.32 
			 North Somerset 75.75 
			 Peterborough 70.96 
			 Bedfordshire 63.74 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 48.00 
			 Hertfordshire 43.14 
			 Kent 39.94 
			 Cornwall (excl. Isles of Scilly) 37.67 
			 Cambridgeshire 31.93 
			 South Yorkshire 30.24 
			 South Gloucestershire 29.54 
			 Devon 28.12 
			 Buckinghamshire 27.77 
			 Swindon 26.18 
			 Staffordshire 25.83 
			 Plymouth 25.08 
			 Suffolk 22.29 
			 Southend-on-Sea 21.93 
			 Northumberland 20.98 
			 Greater Manchester 20.42 
			 Cumbria 20.23 
			 Tyne and Wear 14.78 
			 Warwickshire 9.76 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 8.92 
			 Lincolnshire 8.14 
			 North Yorkshire 7.88 
			 Norfolk 6.97 
			 Bristol, City of 6.50 
			 Durham 4.45 
			 West Midlands 4.21 
			 Nottinghamshire 3.70 
			 West Yorkshire 2.08 
			 Leicester 1.54 
			 Merseyside 1.23 
			 Shropshire 1.11 
			 Medway 0.20 
			 Essex 0.04 
			 Cumbria 251.62 
			 Rutland 98.90 
			 Hertfordshire 98.41 
			 Cornwall (excl. Isles of Scilly) 97.71 
			 Kent 83.37 
			 Buckinghamshire 65.32 
			 Cambridgeshire 62.73 
			 Swindon 53.40 
			 North Somerset 53.01 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 51.72 
			 Bedfordshire 46.30 
			 Cheshire 35.00 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 29.41 
			 North Yorkshire 27.42 
			 Suffolk 27.25 
			 Norfolk 27.04 
			 East Sussex 24.34 
			 Lincolnshire 24.14 
			 Nottinghamshire 21.40 
			 Devon 17.88 
			 South Yorkshire 15.77 
			 West Yorkshire 14.89 
			 Warwickshire 14.60 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 14.10 
			 Durham 12.90 
			 Northumberland 8.72 
			 Hampshire 4.99 
			 Merseyside 4.25 
			 Staffordshire 3.25 
			 Greater Manchester 1.97 
			 Tyne and Wear 1.34 
			 West Midlands 1.21 
			 Medway 0.80 
			 Shropshire 0.73

Road Safety

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by central Government on road safety in relation to (a) speeding, (b) drink driving, (c) seat belts and (d) cyclists' safety in each of the past 20 years.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 152W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody). Detailed information as requested is not available.

Romsey/Chandlers Fore/Eastleigh Railway Line

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will discuss the future of the Romsey/Chandlers Ford/Eastleigh passenger railway line with Hampshire county council before any final decision is made;
	(2)  what plans he has to maintain the Romsey/Chandlers Ford/Eastleigh passenger railway; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The South Western franchise replacement consultation document proposed a shuttle service between Romsey and Eastleigh via Chandlers Ford. Meetings to discuss the document were held with stakeholders, including Hampshire county council. The consultation closed on 13 January 2006. Responses will be considered prior to the issue of a core specification for bidders to price as part of the franchise replacement competition.

South West Trains

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his timetable is for publishing the responses to the Rail Franchise and Utilisation consultation for the South West trains area.

Derek Twigg: A document responding to the comments received on the Department's South Western franchise consultation will be issued once all the comments have been considered fully. This is expected to be before the invitation to tender is issued at the end of March. Timing of the publication of responses to the South West Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy consultation document is a matter for Network Rail.

Thameslink 2000

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the (a) Thameslink 2000 and (b) the East London Line extension projects will be completed.

Derek Twigg: The public inquiry into the Thameslink 2000 project re-opened on 6 September 2005 and closed on 7 December 2005. The inspector is expected to present his report to the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister in March 2006. A separate report by London TravelWatch on railway closures in connection with the Thameslink project is expected to be completed around spring 2006. This will also need to be considered by the Secretary of State. Were all the various consents and orders required for the project to be approved, and funding made available, construction would be likely to take approximately five years.
	Phase 1 of the East London Line extension, which will connect the line to Dalston Junction to the North and Crystal Palace and West Croydon to the South, is on course to be delivered by June 2010. Phase 2 of the extension, which will further extend the line to Highbury and Islington in the North and add a new branch, just south of Surrey Quays, to Clapham Junction, is not included in the Mayor's current five year investment strategy. However, the Mayor has indicated that he intends to take forward construction of this further extension in the future.

Transport Expenditure

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on (a) reducing crime on public transport, (b) (i) widening and (ii) building (A) roads and (B) motorways, (c) rail safety, (d) transport for school children, (e) ensuring disabled people have access to public transport, (f) concessionary travel for students, (g) building cycle lanes, (h) promoting the use of bicycles, (i) promoting environmentally friendly travel options, (j) investigating new technologies for environmentally friendly travel, (k) road safety (1) initiatives and (2) campaigns, (l) installing new speed cameras, (m) ensuring the safety of level crossings, (n) preventing public access to railway tracks, (o) repairing bridges, (p) refurbishing railway stations, (q) ensuring maritime safety, (r) maintenance of lighthouses, (s) improving ports, (t) ensuring air safety and (u) studies into increasing airport capacity since May 2002; and what projections his Department has for spending on each category of expenditure over the next three years;
	(2)  how much his Department has spent on schemes to promote (a) road travel, (b) rail travel, (c) bus travel, (d) cycling and (e) walking in each of the past three years.

Karen Buck: It is not practical to produce a detailed breakdown under the requested categories. This is due to the following factors:
	(a) the identified objectives in many cases constitute a part of the rationale for individual projects that are intended to achieve a range of objectives, with not all spending being targeted only at a single objective;
	(b) Department for Transport spending in many cases consists of general funding support for partner organisations, rather than support for particular projects or objectives; and
	(c) in other cases, spending towards the objectives is funded by user charges or levies, rather than by taxation, and thereby does not score as part of DfT's public expenditure.
	Details of spending since 1999–2000 by the Department for Transport and its predecessor are set out in Tables A1 to A3 of DfT's Annual Report 2005 (Cm 6527), copies of which were placed in the Library of the House when it was published in June 2005. These tables also set out spending plans for the current year, 2006–07 and 2007–08. Spending plans for 2008–09 will be set as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in 2007.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Antisocial Behaviour

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made towards establishing (a) a team of specialist prosecutors and (b) specialist courts to deal with cases of antisocial behaviour.

Mike O'Brien: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) established a team of specialist antisocial behaviour (ASB) prosecutors in March 2004. They are located in 14 CPS areas, and have led the CPS' contribution to the multi-agency drive to reduce antisocial behaviour. In September 2005, those CPS areas without a specialist ASB prosecutor were required to appoint an ASB co-ordinator to lead on ASB work in their CPS area.
	Antisocial behaviour response courts, which are magistrates courts having a particular focus on dealing effectively with ASB cases in co-operation with local agencies, were established in 12 areas in summer 2004. These locations were chosen so as to dovetail with the appointment of the CPS specialist prosecutors. There are now 157 ASB response courts located within 31 criminal justice areas across England and Wales. Lesson learned from their operation have been circulated to all courts to promote best practice in the handling of ASB cases.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Child Care

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what consultation events were held with key stakeholders in relation to child care during 2005; what Government representatives attended these events; and what the cost of each event was;
	(2)  how many structured discussions were held with parents through local forums about child care during 2005; what Government representatives attended these discussions; and what the cost of each discussion was.

Beverley Hughes: We have consulted widely with parents and key stakeholders on child care throughout 2005 and details of principal events are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Event Government representatives who attended  Cost 
		
		
			 Eight events held to consult on the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage attended by a range of key stakeholders Primary National Foundation Stage Advisors £34,400 
			 Seven regional seminars held with local authorities on Phase 2 of the Children's Centre's programme DfES officials £50,000 
			 A consultation with key stakeholders on the Ten Year Strategy for Childcare at 11 Downing Street Minister and Paymaster General from Treasury £700 (excluding food) 
			 Several events held with local authorities and practitioners from the private and voluntary sectors to discuss the free entitlement code of practice. DfES Officials  
			 Staff time only   
			 Five focus groups held with parents looking at their information needs DfES contractors £40,000 
			 Parenting strategy stakeholders meeting to discuss parenting issues to develop a DfES   
			 Parenting strategy. DfES officials £1,102 
			 11 events held with parents to discuss the Ten Year Strategy Ministers and Paymaster General from Treasury £70,000 
			 Seminars for representatives of local authorities, PCTs, strategic health authorities, the voluntary and community sector and the police consulting on The 10 Year Childcare Strategy" were held as part of the Every Child Matters : Delivering change for children" regional events. DfES officials The total cost of these event, (which included nine other seminar choices in addition to those on childcare) was £569,607.65 (excluding VAT) 
		
	
	In addition, the national remodelling team within the Teacher Development Agency has an ongoing programme of events with local authorities, schools and other key stakeholders to consult and support them in the development of extended services, including childcare accessible through schools. Costs vary according to region and the number of attendees but some examples of key events held during 2005 include a national conference with Directors of Children's Services, other senior local authority staff and key stakeholders at a cost of £84,351 and nine regional briefings for local authority delivery managers and stakeholders from the early years, childcare and health sectors at an average cost of £7,538 per event.

Child Care

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many child care places have closed in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what percentage of child care providers closed in each year for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The Department is unable to provide accurate details of closure rates for child care places and providers before 2003.
	Since March 2003 data on closure rates have been available from Ofsted and are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  April to March 
			  2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Stock of child care places 967,821 1,102,686 
			 Child care places closed 128,351 200,775 
			 Percentage of places closed 13.2 18.2 
			
			 Stock of child care providers 85,804 92,604 
			 Child care providers closed 14,350 19,223 
			 Percentage of child care providers closed 16.7 20.8 
		
	
	Closure rates recorded for the first six months of the 2005–06 financial year show that closures are declining. For the year September 2004 to September 2005 the provider closure rate has reduced to 18.3 per cent. with the closure rate for full day care for this period reducing from 14.2 per cent. to 13.1 per cent. Since April 2005, funding for local authorities has focused on sustaining existing good quality provision that meets local needs, rather than creating new places which may not match local demand and may put existing provision at risk.
	From March 2003 to September 2005, despite closures the stock of child care places has continued to grow as follows:
	
		
			  Stock Number of registered places Increase since 2003 (percentage) 
		
		
			 March 2003 967,821 n/a 
			 March 2004 1,102,686 14 
			 September 2005 1,220,607 26

Child Care

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in each of the past 10 years in West Lancashire constituency.

Beverley Hughes: Statistics have been collected by local authority area only since 1999 following the introduction of the National Childcare Strategy for England. We are unable to provide details of places by parliamentary constituency.
	The following table details the stock of child care places in Lancashire, each year since 1999.
	
		
			 As at March: Stock of child care places 
		
		
			 1999 17,193 
			 2000 18,072 
			 2001 19,769 
			 2002 22,288 
			 2003 22,538 
			 2004 26,391 
			 2005 29,008

Consultants

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many consultants have been engaged by her Department since March 2005; and at what cost.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Education and Skills spent £2.3 million from administration costs and £7.5 million from programme expenditure on consultants from March 2005 to date. The Department does not hold centrally information on the number of consultants engaged in this period and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All these figures relate to consultancy as defined centrally by the Office for Government Commerce (OGC). Other transactions also take place with consultancy firms, who supply a range of services which are not consultancy under this standard definition.

Contact Visits

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to ensure that contact visits are safe for adopted and fostered children.

Maria Eagle: The Children Act 1989 recognises that, in the majority of cases, it will be in a child's best interests to maintain contact with his or her birth family and includes a duty to promote contact, unless that is not reasonably practicable or consistent with the child's welfare. In such cases, the Act makes provision for contact arrangements to be supervised, restricted or suspended. Exceptionally, contact will be refused from the time the child enters care.
	Consideration of contact is an essential part of the care planning process for looked after children and any arrangements for contact will therefore be kept under ongoing review and monitored in order to identify problems which may arise and changes which may need to be made to the arrangements. Detailed records about contact will form part of each child's case record and will be considered as part of regular formal review meetings, although the review of contact arrangements should not be restricted to such meetings. Following an amendment to the Review of Children's Cases Regulations in 2004, review meetings must, where possible, be chaired by an independent reviewing officer, whose role it is to ensure both that the child's views are understood and taken into account and that reviews are carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations.
	Once an adoption order is made, any existing contact order will be extinguished and the adopters will acquire full parental responsibility for the child. Unless the court makes a new contact order, it will be for the adopters themselves to decide on the nature and extent of the child's contact with his or her birth family. The Government have, however, put in place a new framework for supporting adoptive families, which includes counselling, advice, information and assistance with facilitating appropriate contact arrangements.

Departmental Expenditure

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the organisations to which her Department made payments through grants or contracts other than in relation to the Department's administrative expenditure over the value of £20,000 in 2004–05.

Bill Rammell: A list of organisations who received over £20,000 in grants and contracts in 2004–05 from the Department for Education and Skills other than in relation to the Department's administrative expenditure has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by her Department on salaries paid to civil servants in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is set out in the following table. The figures are taken from the Department's resource accounts for the years in question. They represent the gross wages and salaries of civil servants, including bonuses, but excluding the costs of Ministers and special advisers and social security and other pension costs.
	
		
			Salaries (£ million) Salaries as percentage of net admin costs 
		
		
			 1997–98 107 57 
			 1998–99 108 47 
			 1999–2000 135 49 
			 2000–01 142 50 
			 2001–02 109 47 
			 2002–03 116 50 
			 2003–04 130 55 
			 2004–05 128 49 
		
	
	These figures reflect the Department as constituted at the time the accounts were produced and so are not adjusted for machinery of government changes.

Educational Attainment

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what national target she has set for the percentage of children looked after for a year or more achieving five or more GCSE (a) A*-C and (b) A-G grades by 2009.

Maria Eagle: Our current targets in this area run until 2006 and 2008 respectively.
	In SR 2002 (amended by the SEU report 'A better education for children in care' in 2003) a national PSA target was set to improve life chances for children by:
	Substantially narrowing the gap between the educational attainment and participation of children in care and that of their peers by 2006. This will have been achieved if:
	outcomes for 11-year-olds in English and Maths are at least 60 per cent. as good as those of their peers;
	the proportion who become disengaged from education is reduced, so that no more than 10 per cent. reach school leaving age without having sat a GCSE equivalent exam; and
	the proportion of those aged 16 who get qualifications equivalent to five GCSE's graded A*-C has risen on average by 4 percentage points each year since 2002; and in all authorities at least 15 per cent. of young people in care achieve this level of qualification.
	This target is still extant and will be reported on when the figures for 2006 are made available in May 2007.
	In SR 2004 a national PSA target for looked-after children was set as follows:
	To narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked after children and their peers, and improve their educational support and the stability of their lives, so that by 2008, 80 per cent. of children under 16 who have been looked after for 2.5 or more years will have been living in the same placement for at least two years, or are placed for adoption.
	This is underpinned by a number of indicators to improve absolute performance and narrow the gap between the performance of looked-after children and that of their peers. For education this included the following measures:
	percentage of children aged 11, looked after for at least 12 months, who obtain level 4 in key stage 2 English and Maths;
	percentage of young people, looked after for at least 12 months, who reach school leaving age without having sat a GCSE equivalent exam;
	percentage of young people, looked after for at least 12 months and in year 11, who achieve five or more GCSEs graded A*-C or equivalent;
	participation of care leavers aged 19 in education, employment and training.
	Local authorities are still required to set targets against these performance indicators through the school and local authority target setting exercise (SaLTs).

Employer Training Programme

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the Institute of Fiscal Studies evaluation of the employer training programme; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The IFS report identified a number of issues relating to the employer training pilots. The report has highlighted that we need to do more to attract the harder to reach employers and the subsequent phases of the pilots have shown us better how to do so. That has been one of the many real values of the pilots and their evaluation.
	In some ETP areas around 25 per cent. of eligible employers are now taking part in the pilots—a far higher penetration rate than the 8 per cent. that IFS estimated carried out similar training without the pilots. We therefore anticipate that a higher proportion will be additional. Skills brokers in the new national programme, Train to Gain, will have a target of at least half the employers they engage being hard to reach", additional employers. We are making £15 million available in 2005–06 and £20 million in 2006–07 to develop the capacity of the brokerage network and implement a performance management system that focuses services on this priority and rewards achievement accordingly.
	A number of evaluations, including the IFS report, have shown that employers identify many benefits from ETP including productivity improvement, changed attitudes to learning, improved motivation and provided employers and employees with a platform for progression. Participating employers were more likely to train their low-skilled staff to the benefit of their business and say that ETP has allowed them to train more people over a shorter period of time. So we are confident that we are already involving more hard-to-reach learners.
	We expect Train to Gain to deliver over 40,000 additional level 2 qualifications in 2006–07; over 140,000 in 2007–08 and, by the time the programme reaches full capacity, 175,000 in 2008–09 and in each year thereafter.

Young Carers

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance she has given to local authorities in relation to Fast-track to Attendance and young carers;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the proportion of identified serial truants who are young carers.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will ensure that teachers and school staff are aware of (a) the needs of young carers and (b) the impact caring responsibilities may have on their schoolwork and attendance at school.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 20 January 2006
	The Government want to ensure that young carers can gain maximum life chance benefits from educational opportunities. Local authority children's services and adults social services should work with families to ensure that young people are not expected to carry inappropriate levels of caring. We have also advised schools that in a genuine crisis, they can approve absence for a child to care for a relative until other arrangements are made—the school should set a time limit for the absence and set some school work so that the pupil does not fall far behind while at home. This advice is reflected in the existing guidance on the codes which are used to record absence and attendance in the school register. It is also reflected in Managing Behaviour and Attendance: Groups at Particular Risk". This guidance has been available since 1999, initially included within the Department's Social Inclusion circulars, and was published again on the Department's school attendance and behaviour website in 2005 as Managing Behaviour and Attendance: Groups at Particular Risk".
	The Department has not made any assessment of the proportion of young carers who have school attendance difficulties and does not collect or hold data that would enable it to do so. Census data are based on self-identification by carers' families.
	When a pupil is not attending school regularly, for whatever reason, local authorities are best placed to decide on the most appropriate course of action on a case by case basis. The Government would expect, however, any assessment of school attendance difficulties to take into account the possibility of circumstances such as caring responsibilities.
	One of the options available is the Fast-track to Attendance framework which is a time-focused approach to case management. Its aim is to ensure that schools and local authorities deal with attendance cases quickly and in the most effective way to get the child back into school. The Fast-track framework promotes early intervention both by the school and, when necessary, by the local authority and other agencies. Fast-track is not just about prosecutions or sanctions, rather the approach aims to ensure that appropriate action is taken to identify and tackle attendance problems as soon as they become apparent. Guidance on the 'Fast-track' process was issued to local authorities in 2003. As the guidance relates to a process it does not specifically refer to young carers or any other group.

Further Education

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what national target she has set for increasing the proportion of 16-year-olds taking part in further education;
	(2)  what target she has set for increasing the number of people in education at the age of 17 years.

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to tackling our internationally low post-16 participation rate. In the 14–19 White Paper we set out our aim to increase participation at age 17 from 75 per cent. to 90 per cent. over the next 10 years. Critical to achieving this ambition will be securing our reform of 14–19 curriculum, in particular the introduction of specialised Diplomas from 2008.

Higher Education

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the participation rate of each age group in (a) higher education and (b) first degree courses in (i) Southend, (ii) Essex, (iii) Hertfordshire, (iv) Greater London and (v) England was in each year since 1978.

Bill Rammell: The available information is given in the tables.
	The latest available figures on participation by local areas were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in January 2005 in Young participation in higher education", which is available from the HEFCE website at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/. The HEFCE report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19 disaggregated by constituency, local education authority (LEA) and region for the years 1997 to 2000.
	Figures for the relevant LEAs and Greater London, together with the comparable figure for England, are shown in the table.
	
		Young Participation Rate (YPR (A)) -- Percentage
		
			  Year cohort aged 18 in: 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Southend-on-sea(11) 26 23 24 27 
			 Essex(11) 27 26 27 28 
			 Hertfordshire(11) 37 35 37 38 
			 Greater London 33.1 34.2 35.0 36.4 
			 England 29.2 28.8 29.2 29.9 
		
	
	(11)Figures are reported to the nearest whole number.
	Source:
	Higher Education Funding Council for England
	The Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) measures the percentage of English-domiciled students aged 17 to 30 years, participating in higher education (both full-time and part-time courses) at UK Higher Education Institutions and English Further Education Colleges. The available figures for the academic years from 1999/2000 to 2003/04 are shown in the table.
	
		Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) for English domiciled entrants (full-time and part-time) to higher education courses from 1999/00 to 2003/04(12)
		
			  HEIPR 
		
		
			 1999 41 
			 2000 42 
			 2001 42 
			 2002 43 
			 2003 43 
		
	
	(12)Calculations are based on data provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Learning and Skills Council.
	Source:
	DfES National Statistics Statistical First Release 14/2005, Participation Rates in Higher Education: Academic Years 1999/2000—2003/2004 (Provisional)".
	The figure for 2004/05 will be published in April 2006.
	The Age Participation Index (API) measures full-time participation by UK-domiciled students, aged below 21 years, in higher education courses in Great Britain. Ramsden, B. (1995), 'Participation in Higher Education: A Study to Determine Whether the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate Should Be Disaggregated', confirmed that there are significant weaknesses in the Age Participation Index and the figures should therefore be treated with caution.
	The available figures are shown in the table.
	
		Age Participation Index(13) for UK-domiciled ants to higher education courses in Great Britain 1978/79 to 2001/02 -- Percentage
		
			  API 
		
		
			 1978 12 
			 1979 12 
			 1980 13 
			 1981 13 
			 1982 13 
			 1983 13 
			 1984 14 
			 1985 14 
			 1986 14 
			 1987 15 
			 1988 15 
			 1989 17 
			 1990 19 
			 1991 23 
			 1992 28 
			 1993 30 
			 1994 32 
			 1995 32 
			 1996 33 
			 1997 33 
			 1998 31 
			 1999 32 
			 2000 33 
			 2001 35 
		
	
	(13)The Age Participation Index is defined as the number of home domiciled initial entrants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate higher education courses in Great Britain, aged under 21, expressed as a percentage of the average number of 18 and 19 year olds in the population.
	Source:
	DfES.

Looked-after Children

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what national target she has set for reducing the number of looked-after children each year.

Maria Eagle: There is currently no national target for reducing the number of looked-after children by local authorities each year. In SR2004 a National PSA target for Looked After Children was set as follows:
	To narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked after children and their peers, and improve their educational support and the stability of their lives, so that by 2008, 80 per cent. of children under 16 who have been looked after for 2.5 or more years will have been living in the same placement for at least 2 years, or are placed for adoption.
	This target is a recognition of the fundamental importance of stability to the lives of these most vulnerable of children and young people. Children become looked after for a variety of reasons, though the most common reason for children becoming looked after is abuse or neglect (in 62 per cent. of cases). It is important that this decision is based on the individual assessed needs of each child. To set a target to reduce the number of looked after children could create a perverse incentive that would serve as a barrier to children who may need to become looked after, which would not be in their best interests.

Looked-after Children

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what national targets she has set for reducing the number of looked-after children (a) placed more than 20 miles from their local authority, (b) placed in independent placements and (c) from black and ethnic communities.

Maria Eagle: There are currently no national targets for any of these categories. In SR2004 a National PSA target for Looked After Children was set as follows:
	To narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked after children and their peers, and improve their educational support and the stability of their lives, so that by 2008, 80 per cent. of children under 16 who have been looked after for 2.5 or more years will have been living in the same placement for at least two years, or are placed for adoption.
	This target is a recognition of the fundamental importance of stability to the lives of these most vulnerable of children and young people. However data on the groups of looked after children are available in the departmental statistical volume: Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March". The most recent figures are available at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/OL/v000569/index.shtml

Nursery Schools (West Lancashire)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in West Lancashire constituency attended nursery in each of the past 10 years; and how many have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised childcare places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three-year-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	The available information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in West Lancashire parliamentary constituency area and Lancashire local authority is shown in the tables.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (final)" in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(14) taken up by 3 and 4-year-olds, Lancashire local authority
		
			  3-year-olds 4-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(15) Other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 3-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools3 Other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 4-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 4,400 n/a 4,400 n/a n/a (17)12,400 
			 1998 4,400 n/a 4,400 n/a n/a (17)13,500 
			 1999 4,400 n/a 4,400 n/a n/a (17)16,000 
			 2000 4,300 (18)0 4,300 n/a n/a (17)15,900 
			 2001 4,200 (18)5,200 9,400 n/a n/a (17)15,700 
			 2002 4,100 (18)5,300 9,400 10,500 (17)2,500 13,000 
			 2003 3,900 (18)6,200 10,100 10,200 (19)2,500 12,700 
			 2004 3,800 (20)6,700 10,500 10,100 (21)2,600 12,600 
			 2005 3,700 (20)6,600 10,200 9,600 (21)2,500 12,100 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(14)Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(15)Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(16)Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(17)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(18)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(19)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(20)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(21)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(22)taken up by 3 and 4-year-olds, West Lancashire parliamentary constituency
		
			  3-year-olds 4-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(23) Other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers(24) Total 3-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools(25) Other mtd and private, voluntary and independent providers(26) Total 4-year-olds 
		
		
			 2004 390 460 850 900 190 1,100 
			 2005 400 450 850 810 190 1,000 
		
	
	(22)Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(23)Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(24)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(25)Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(26)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my Department doesn't publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

Ofsted

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps Ofsted is taking to ensure that inspectors who have been removed from, and subsequently reinstated to, the list of team inspectors should not be disadvantaged in the award of future contracts.

Jacqui Smith: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, Maurice Smith has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	Letter from Maurice J. Smith, dated 24 January 2006
	Your recent parliamentary question has been referred to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, for reply.
	You asked what steps Ofsted is taking to ensure that inspectors who have previously been removed from, and subsequently reinstated to, the list of team inspectors should not be subsequently disadvantaged in the award of future contracts.
	In connection with inspections under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996, a person whose name was included on the roll of team inspectors should not have been disadvantaged in seeking and securing inspection work on the basis that they had previously been removed from, and then reinstated to, the roll. Inclusion on the roll signified that a team inspector satisfied the conditions of his or her enrolment: that he or she was fit and proper, and competent and effective, to discharge the functions of a team inspector. However, the roll of team inspectors was discontinued in September 2005 following the implementation of the Education Act 2005 and the introduction of the new Section 5 inspection arrangements.
	Under the Education Act 2005, Ofsted has secured the provision of inspection services for the inspections of schools covered by Section 5 of that Act, by contract with six Regional Inspection Service Providers (RISPs). The RISPs are responsible for the recruitment, selection, training and deployment of inspectors, and the standards of competence required of the inspectors are specified; inspectors must be fit and proper, and competent and effective. Further details on the competencies of inspectors are available at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm? fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=1438
	It is for the RISPs to satisfy themselves that inspectors meet these competences and they may only carry out Section 5 inspections once they have inspected satisfactorily under the supervision of HMI. The RISPs have different recruitment and selection processes but all include checking whether inspectors were previously Section 10 inspectors. Where an inspector had previously been de-registered or removed from the roll, the RISP would have to look at the individual's circumstances. However, we have no reason to believe that inspectors would be disadvantaged in seeking and securing inspection work simply on the basis that they were previously removed from, and reinstated to, the Section 10 roll of team inspectors. Finally, I should inform you that, although there is no longer a roll of team inspectors, HMCI is required, under the Education Act 2005, to publish at intervals of not more than 12 months the names of those persons who are notified to him by a RISP as persons with whom the RISP proposes to make arrangements for carrying out of inspections on behalf of HMCI. The list of these persons, known as additional inspectors, was published on the Ofsted website on 07 December 2005 and can be found at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm? fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=4112
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jacqui Smith and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Policy Reviews

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the policy reviews her Department has conducted in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The Department maintains all of its key policies under review. Material on the key policy areas for which the Department is responsible can be found on our website at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/

Recreation Areas and Holiday Play Schemes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to develop(a) safe and accessible recreation areas and (b) affordable school holiday play schemes for the most vulnerable families.

Maria Eagle: Thanks to the £155 million play programme announced by the Big Lottery Fund in March 2005, a huge number of existing play facilities across England will be improved and new ones created. 80 per cent. of the fund will be used to develop free, open-access play provision in the areas of greatest need. Allocations will be made to local authorities based on child population weighted by the level of deprivation in each area but also taking into account where relatively affluent areas have pockets of deprivation (for example, rural areas).
	For the older child, we have outlined new national standards for 'things to do and places to go' for young people. The standards include ensuring access to 'a range of safe and enjoyable places in which to spend time'. We intend to introduce new legislation that will clarify local authorities' responsibilities to secure access to such provision.
	The Youth Matters Green Paper also outlined plans to put resources directly into the hands of young people so that they have more say over the way that resources are spent. Extra resources made available through the pre-Budget report mean that a total of £115 million will be available in the two financial years from April 2006 to support the provision of youth activities in communities, including the development of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital funds which will particularly help to support access for young people from vulnerable families.
	We have also committed £840 million to help develop extended services, including holiday play schemes, so that they are accessible through all our schools by 2010. These funds have also been distributed with a weighting for levels of deprivation. The National Remodelling Team within the Training and Development Agency has been appointed to provide support to all schools to help develop extended services.

Special Educational Needs

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements there are to enable the statutory assessment procedure for a statement of special educational needs to be continued for pupils who transfer to a school in another local education authority area during the course of the procedure; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Under the Education Act 1996 local authorities have a duty, where necessary, to assess the special educational needs of children for whom they are responsible. If, during the course of the assessment, a child transfers to a school in another local authority's area but remains resident in the original authority's area then the original authority remains responsible for completing the assessment. If the child moves to the area of the school which he or she is transferring to or any area other than that of the original authority, the original authority is no longer responsible for the child or completing the assessment. If the new authority to which the child moves deems that it is necessary to assess the child's special educational needs then the new authority is under a duty to do so. In such circumstances we would expect the two authorities concerned to contact each other and, within any legal constraints, transfer information from the assessment begun by the original authority to inform the assessment by the new authority.

Student Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received on allowing more flexibility to higher education institutions in the use of access funds; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 January 2006
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with representatives from the higher education sector about a range of student finance issues, including the access to learning fund. The fund is designed to ensure that support is available to students from low-income backgrounds who might otherwise be unable to enter or remain in higher education. Higher education institutions, who administer the fund, have a high degree of discretion as to how to provide support, in order to target those most in need.
	Last October, as part of our continuing commitment to part-time study, we announced an enhanced support package for part-time undergraduates from 2006/07, including an increase in the discretionary funds available to part-time students from £3 million to £12 million. Institutions will have the added flexibility to use this resource to provide additional fee support (on top of the statutory part-time grant) or to increase help to students facing financial hardship, for example, in meeting child care costs.
	We also announced, in November, an additional £40 million (£20 million each from the Department and the Higher Education Funding Council for England) of institutional funding for 2006–07 to encourage participation and improve provision for part-time students from the most under-represented groups.

Teenage Pregnancies

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will introduce targets for teenage pregnancy reduction which reflect that some teenage pregnancies are planned; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We recognise that a minority of teenage pregnancies are planned. However, around half of under-18 conceptions end in abortion and the 1999 Social Exclusion Unit report on Teenage Pregnancy estimated that around 75 per cent. of teenage conceptions were unplanned.
	While recognising that decisions about the outcome of pregnancy are for individuals to make, the aim of the Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is to reduce unplanned pregnancies while encouraging young people to delay parenthood. Health and education outcomes for young mothers and their children are likely to be significantly worse than for older mothers.

Vocational Training

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the impact of vocational training on industry.

Phil Hope: Our Department is committed to ensuring that everyone has the skills he or she needs to be employable and personally fulfilled. Our 14–19 and Skills White Papers set out our strategies for ensuring that education and training meets the needs of employers.
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for the effective planning and funding of learning to raise the skills of the work force and the potential work force. It engages through the year with providers and employers to ensure that provision matches employer skills demands.
	Recent findings of the LSC funded National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) in 2003 and 2005 show:
	Just 4 per cent. of employers were reporting any vacancies relating to skill shortages.
	The proportion of vacancies relating to skill shortages has fallen from 20 per cent. in 2003 to 17 per cent. in 2005.
	Progress has been made in terms of skill gaps with the number of establishments reporting having staff not fully proficient falling from 22 per cent. in 2003 to 16 per cent. in 2005.

Young Parents (Higher Education)

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 19-year-old parents have returned to higher education in (a) the Wakefield district and (b) the Normanton constituency since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The information is not held centrally.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Gaming Machines

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the triennial review of stakes and prizes for category C gaming machines; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Following the triennial review conducted by the Gaming Board in 2004, the Secretary of State decided not to make any changes for the time being to gaming machine stake and prize limits. A schedule for stakes and prize limits on implementation of the Act was published when the Gambling Bill was introduced, and this remains Government policy.
	The Government are committed to increasing the maximum stake category C gaming to 50p. This increase will be implemented in September 2007 when the new safeguards relating to social responsibility introduced by the Gambling Act 2005 will be in place.

Identity Fraud

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what training the Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud.

David Lammy: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Department's front desk security staff, who deal with the public, are employed by an external security contractor who ensures that their staff are trained in relation to identity fraud.
	(b) The Department currently has one administrative officer who checks the identity of new staff and who will be shortly undertaking a centrally held training course which covers identity fraud.

National Sports Foundation

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the English Cricket Board's Chance to Shine programme will be eligible for support from the National Sports Foundation.

Richard Caborn: The England and Wales Cricket Board will be eligible to apply for funding from the National Sports Foundation (NSF). This will be subject to the Chance to Shine Programme meeting the NSF criteria and also delivering against the key performance indicators agreed between the England and Wales Cricket Board and Sport England for the £2 million lottery funding this year and in 2006–07.

Olympic Games

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reassessment she has made of the costs of the London 2012 Olympics since the bid was successful; what further reassessments are planned; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I have commissioned KPMG to provide advice on the costs of the London 2012 Olympic games. Their work, which is ongoing, will inform our strategy for managing the Olympic project and costs will be kept under close scrutiny throughout.

Olympic Games

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of council tax collected by Hammersmith and Fulham council is expected to be used to finance the 2012 London Olympics in each year between now and 2012.

Richard Caborn: The proportion of council tax collected by Hammersmith and Fulham council which is expected to be used to finance the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games is a matter for the Mayor of London.

Sports Programmes

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the establishment of the National Sports Foundation on (a) the Football Foundation and (b) community programmes run by (i)the Rugby Football Union, (ii) the Rugby Football League and (iii) the Lawn Tennis Association;
	(2)  what part will be played by (a) Sport England and (b) regional sports boards in the operation of the National Sports Foundation;
	(3)  what decisions have been made on the (a) size of, (b) location of, (c) budget of, (d) condition of and (e) key personnel to be involved with the National Sports Foundation;
	(4)  what progress has been made towards establishing the National Sports Foundation.

Richard Caborn: The National Sports Foundation (NSF) will be launched in April with funds being available from that date. The budget is £27.5 million over the next two years.
	The NSF will be responsible for levering in additional private sector investment for grassroots sport and marketing and promoting the benefits of grassroots sport. It will have a strong, recognisable brand. There will be national and regional funding streams.
	There will be three broad programmes for the initial period:
	Fit for Sport—projects to improve both physical and human infrastructure for community clubs;
	2012 Kids—building on the success of winning the Olympics, projects to encourage children to take up sport; and
	Women in Sport—projects to increase female participation in sport.
	The NSF will be delivered using Sport England's infrastructure. We need an established delivery structure so that the NSF is up and running from April. It will have a governance arrangement that allows for a light touch and speedy decision-making process, but ensures that appropriate checks and balances are in place.
	Precise details of the governance arrangements, staffing, location and conditions, and the role of the Regional Sports Boards, is under consideration.
	The five national governing bodies—the Rugby Football Union, Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, Lawn Tennis Association and the Rugby Football League—will be eligible to apply for NSF funds for specific projects that meet the criteria. The NSF will not however duplicate existing funding for community sport initiatives.

Sustainable Development

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government.

James Purnell: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's sectors contain many iconic and high profile buildings, which are used by large numbers of the public. Some have introduced innovative projects demonstrating sustainable development, such as the installation of photovoltaic panels in the roof of the Science Museum in South Kensington. These now power the Museum's Energy Gallery. The DCMS Sustainable Development Forum draws membership from DCMS's non departmental public bodies who share these innovative ideas and other examples of best practice. My officials also provide the secretariat for the Museums and Galleries Energy and Carbon Forum, a body which seeks to implement energy saving and the reduction of carbon emissions in national museums, galleries and libraries. Sustainable development considerations are being fully included in the current refurbishment of DCMS Headquarters building. The Department's Headquarters building and The Royal Parks are both powered entirely by renewable sources.

Sustainable Development

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on her Department's sustainable development strategy.

James Purnell: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport published a sustainable development strategy in February 2004. I expect to report in March on progress as part of the Department's sustainable development action plan.

Television Licences

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in West Lancashire were prosecuted in 2004 for failing to hold a valid television licence.

Fiona Mactaggart: I have been asked to reply.
	The information from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform shows that 4,145 people were proceeded against at magistrates courts in Lancashire police force area for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1969 (mainly television licence evasion), in 2004. It is not possible to identify those prosecutions in West Lancashire, as the data is not collected at this level of detail.

Urban Design

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment to discuss aesthetic urban design.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment on 17 January. They discussed her role as Government Design Champion and the promotion of high standards in architecture and urban design, which goes beyond aesthetic considerations. They also discussed how the Commission can help deliver well designed facilities for the London Olympic games in 2012.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been made available by her Department for schemes to tackle carbon emissions since 1997; and what money will be made available in future years.

Elliot Morley: Since DEFRA's inception in June 2001 we have provided significant grant funding for a number of schemes which aim to tackle carbon emissions. Headline programmes include: those governed by the Carbon Trust—who lead in encouraging business and public sector energy efficiency and low carbon innovation; the Energy Saving Trust—whose activities aim at increasing demand for domestic sector energy efficiency and the Emissions Trading Scheme—which reduces carbon emissions at least cost to industry. In summary, the following expenditure has been incurred.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 59 
			 2002–03 108 
			 2003–04 121 
			 2004–05 128 
			 2005–06 (27)130 
		
	
	(27)Budget.
	Final budgets for future years are still being determined. This Government remains committed to the policies and measures which will help us meet our goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide levels by 2010, based on 1990 levels.

Carbon Emissions

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many coal-fired power stations she estimates are not complying with the proposed EU legislation which requires the installation of equipment to cut emissions.

Elliot Morley: Pollution controls for coal-fired power stations in England and Wales are a matter for the Environment Agency and are applied through authorisations issued under the integrated pollution control (IPC) system or by permits under the EU Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive which is replacing IPC. These contain emission limits and other conditions which have to be based on the use of best available techniques (BAT).
	The EU Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD), which was finalised in 2001 and is being implemented through the IPPC Permit, sets emission limits for releases of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust from these plants but without prejudice to the requirements of IPPC which may in many cases be more stringent.
	The LCPD requirements for emissions limits for existing" coal-fired power stations (those first authorised before 1987) take effect from 1 January 2008. These will be taken into account in setting the emission limits in IPPC permits, for which operators of these power stations have to apply to the Environment Agency by 31 March 2006. Provided their operators comply with their permits (and they would face enforcement action if they did not), all those power stations should therefore comply with the extant EU legislation by the due date. There are currently no EU proposals for further legislation in this area.

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure regular review of climate change indicators and policy to ensure that the necessary steps are being taken on emissions reductions.

Elliot Morley: Overall progress on climate change indicators is publicly reported annually, as described on the sustainable development website, and reviewed by the inter-departmental Sustainable Development Programme Board.
	The current review of the UK Climate Change Programme is looking at how existing climate change policies are performing, and the range of policies that might be put in place in future to put the UK back on track to achieving our domestic carbon dioxide goals.
	Additionally, the Sustainable Energy Policy Network (SEPN), set up following the publication of the Energy White Paper in 2003, meets regularly at official and ministerial level to discuss progress on a range of climate change and energy policy issues.

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the climate change programme.

Elliot Morley: I and my officials have regular discussions with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the Climate Change Programme both as part of the review process, and our involvement in the Sustainable Energy Policy Network.

Illegal Timber

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of illegal timber imported into Europe from (a) China, (b) Indonesia and (c) Brazil in each of month of the last three years.

Elliot Morley: The UK is the world's fourth largest importer of wood products. However, with the exception of species included on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) we are unable to estimate how much illegally logged timber is coming into the UK as timber is not identified as legal or illegal at ports of entry.
	Once the recently adopted EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation comes into force it will enable member states to prohibit the entry into the EU of illegal timber products from countries that enter into Partnership Agreements with the European Union.

Warm Front Scheme

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many households in (a) West Lancashire constituency and (b) North West region received assistance under the Warm Front scheme in each year since the scheme began;
	(2)  what steps the Government are taking to identify older people in fuel poverty who are not in receipt of benefits in West Lancashire.

Elliot Morley: Between the launch of the Warm Front scheme in June 2000 and the 31 December 2005, the number of households assisted in West Lancashire constituency each year are:
	
		
			  Number of households assisted 
		
		
			 2000–01 364 
			 2001–02 1,023 
			 2002–03 465 
			 2003–04 534 
			 2004–05 1,048 
			 2005–06 (to 31 December 2005) 537 
			 Total 3,971 
		
	
	The number of households assisted in the North West region each year are:
	
		
			  Number of households assisted 
		
		
			 Year 1 23,372 
			 Year 2 74,134 
			 Year 3 55,669 
			 Year 4 48,729 
			 Year 5 47,246 
			 Year 6 (to 31 December 2005) 27,815 
			 Total 276,965 
		
	
	The Warm Front scheme is the Government's main tool for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector. Eligibility for the scheme is via the receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits.
	Eaga Partnership, in their role as Warm Front scheme manager, carry out a range of activities at a national and local level to encourage those households at risk from fuel poverty to apply to the scheme for assistance. Those not in receipt of a qualifying benefit at the time of application are offered a benefit entitlement check, which is designed to provide both the potential of increasing household income and to establish eligibility of households to benefit from measures under Warm Front.

Warm Front Scheme

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many central heating systems have been fitted for people over 65 years under the Warm Front scheme in each year since the scheme started; and what percentage this represents of the total systems fitted in West Lancashire.

Elliot Morley: During the first phase of the Warm Front scheme new gas central heating was available, as part of Warm Front plus, for those households over 60.
	Between the launch of the Warm Front scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2005, the following table indicates:
	The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front across England. The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in West Lancashire
	The number of gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in households over 65 in West Lancashire.
	The percentage of those gas central heating systems installed by Warm Front in West Lancashire for households over 65.
	
		
			 Scheme year All gas central heating West Lancashire gas central heating West Lancashire gas central heating (over 65) Percentage of West Lancashire over 65 
		
		
			 2000–01 6,718 18 11 61 
			 2001–02 34,004 67 51 76 
			 2002–03 19,524 25 19 76 
			 2003–04 13,652 26 21 81 
			 2004–05 19,736 21 16 76 
			 Total 93,634 157 99 63

Water/Sewerage Services (Aylesbury Vale)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on (a) the scale and (b) the cost of water supply and sewage treatment requirements arising from planned expansion of housing in Aylesbury Vale.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister have not held discussions on these particular issues.
	Aylesbury is served by Thames Water Utilities. Along with the other water supply companies, Thames Water produces a water resources plan, which looks forward 25 years. The plan is updated annually by the company, and is reviewed by the Environment Agency for consistency with the national and regional water resources strategies. Any planned residential developments in the area will be factored into this process.
	An integrated study of the whole water cycle at Aylesbury has been commissioned jointly by the Environment Agency, Aylesbury Vale district council, Aylesbury Vale Advantage Ltd (the local delivery vehicle for housing growth) and Thames Water. The study is intended to examine the consequences of the additional housing for water supply, flood risk, sewer capacity, sewage treatment and for the ecology of the River Thames downstream of Aylesbury. The costs and timing of providing the necessary water and sewerage infrastructure and services will be a part of the study.
	The first phase is expected to start shortly and to be completed in six to nine months.

DEFENCE

Administrative Costs

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) England and (b) London; and whatadministrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year.

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Wales; and what administrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year.

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what functions in his Department are carried out in Scotland; and what the administrative costs of these functions were in the last year for which figures are available.

Don Touhig: Defence is a national capability and is funded accordingly. The wide variety of activities that support the Defence Mission are provided by the Department's 11 Top Level Budget Holders (TLBs) who are responsible for their own element of the Defence Budget. These activities are diverse and widely distributed throughout the UK and as a consequence we cannot answer the question without committing to disproportionate cost.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Stewart Hosie) on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 215W.

Armed Forces (Spiritual Care)

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to make provision for the spiritual care of armed services personnel who have no declared religion.

Don Touhig: The armed forces provide a comprehensive range of support and care for all their personnel. In addition to this being a key responsibility of every commanding officer, such care is available from unit welfare officers, specialist welfare providers, doctors and other professionals. Chaplains, as well as providing spiritual care for Service personnel and their families within their denomination, also provide practical care for personnel of all religions or none. We also issued last year a Guide on Religion and Belief", which includes a section on non-religious belief and no belief, including contact details for appropriate organisations.

Civil Servants

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent in each year since 1997 by his Department on salaries paid to civil servants.

Don Touhig: The gross salary costs (excluding national insurance contributions and superannuation) paid to civil servants and locally employed civilians (overseas) from 2000–01 to 2004–05 are detailed in the following table.
	
		£ billion
		
			  Civil servants gross salary costs Locally employed civilians salary costs Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 1.756 0.221 1.977 
			 2001–02 1.750 0.211 1.961 
			 2002–03 1.754 0.218 1.972 
			 2003–04 1.785 0.241 2.026 
			 2004–05 1.892 0.257 2.149 
		
	
	Detailed analysis for 1997–2000 is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	The Executive Defence Agencies established as Trading Funds fall outside the departmental accounting boundary. For completeness, I have included the gross salary costs for civil servants and locally employed civilians (overseas) of these organisations from 1997–98 to 2004–05 in the following table.
	
		£ million
		
			Met Office  Army Base Repair Organisation 
			  Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DEFA)/defence science and technology laboratory (Dstl)(28) UK Hydrographic office Civil servants Locally employed civilians Defence Aviation Repair Agency Civil Servants Locally employed civilians 
		
		
			 1997–98 281 16 55 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998–99 284 17 57 0.5 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1999–2000 293 18 59 0.4 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2000–01 305 20 59 0.5 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2001–02 141 21 58 0.5 92 n/a n/a 
			 2002–03 90 22 61 0.5 94 54 n/a 
			 2003–04 97 24 60 0.7 90 52 n/a 
			 2004–05 102 25 58 0.7 81 54 0.9 
		
	
	(28)Up to 2000–01 the figures are for DERA, 2001–02 is three months for DERA and nine months Dstl, 2002–03 onwards are for Dstl

Civil Servants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many disciplinary actions against civil servants employed in his Department (a) were commenced and (b) resulted in a sanction being applied in each of the last five years.

Don Touhig: Information is not held centrally on the number of Ministry of Defence civil servants that have had disciplinary actions commenced against them and had resultant sanctions applied in each of the last five years. Because action on investigating and dealing with disciplinary offences has been delegated to line management in individual MOD business units, it would incur disproportionate cost to collate the data.
	The sanctions that can be awarded against civil servants for breaches of minor and major discipline include any or all of the following (although the list is not exhaustive):
	oral warning; written warning; reprimand; a bar on promotion (for up to three years); the withholding of pay and/or bonus payments; restitution (a monetary payment recoverable by deduction from pay);
	suspension from duty;
	downgrading or dismissal.
	Gross misconduct is the only category of major disciplinary offence that can result in dismissal, usually even for a first offence.

Compensation (Japanese Detainees)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the original Treasury authority for payments to British civilian detainees of the Japanese allowed payments to be made to detainees with no blood links to the UK.

Don Touhig: HM Treasury agreed that funding for the Ex-Gratia Scheme would initially be made available from the Contingency Reserve pending parliamentary approval for the Scheme as part of the then spring supplementary estimate. At that stage, the birthlink criterion had not been defined though the estimates for the cost of the scheme assumed that payments would only be made to civilian internees with a close link to the United Kingdom.

Departmental Staff/Research Budget

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each of the last three years, (a) the total number of staff in his Department and (b) the total budget allocation related to all aspects of research into thermobaric weapons.

John Reid: The MOD's research budget is focussed on examining technical possibilities in a variety of technology areas. We do not collate information on research activity in the way requested, not least given the lack of an agreed definition of the term 'thermobaric'. It would be disproportionately expensive and potentially misleading to provide a detailed breakdown for individual research projects.
	The MOD remains committed to the UK's obligations and duties under international law and treaties. Any and all weapons introduced into service are subjected to appropriate legal review.

Destroyer/Frigate Tours

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tours have been undertaken by each of the (a) Type 42 Destroyers, (b) Type 22 frigates and (c) Type 23 frigates in the last three years; where each tour was; what the length of each tour was; and what the length of time was between each tour.

Adam Ingram: A Royal Navy tour or deployment is considered to be an activity of at least 90 days' endurance. A list of each deployment, its duration and the ships engaged on it is as follows:
	
		
			 Type Ship Tour Length Tour 
		
		
			 2003
			 T42 Liverpool January-July Gulf/Far East 
			 T22 Cornwall March-October West Atlantic 
			 T22 Chatham January-August Gulf 
			 T23 Portland February-August Mediterranean 
			 T23 Iron Duke January-August Caribbean 
			 T23 Richmond February-August Gulf/Indian Ocean 
			 
			 2004
			 T42 Edinburgh April-August Standing Naval Force Atlantic 
			 T42 Gloucester January-June Gulf with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle 
			 T42 Exeter March-November Five Powers Defence Arrangement 
			 T22 Campbeltown October 2003-May 2004 Standing Naval Force Atlantic 
			 T22 Cumberland April-October Gulf-Op Oracle 
			 T23 Somerset June-December Gulf-Op Armilla/Telic 
			 T23 Monmouth December 2003-July 2004 Atlantic Patrol Task (North) 
			 T23 Iron Duke September-December Atlantic Patrol Task (South) 
			 T23 Richmond July-December Atlantic Patrol Task (North) 
			 T23 Grafton February-August Gulf-Op Armilla 
			 T23 Kent August-December NATO-Mediterranean 
			 T23 St. Albans November 2003-May 2004 Gulf-Op Oracle 
			 
			 2005
			 T42 Gloucester November 2004-March 2005 Atlantic Patrol Task (South) 
			 T42 York May-November Five Powers Defence Arrangement 
			 T42 Liverpool December 2004-August 2005 Atlantic Patrol Task (North) 
			 T42 Southampton August 2005-February 2006 Atlantic Patrol Task (South) 
			 T22 Campbeltown July-December Gulf-Op Telic 
			 T22 Chatham November 2004-May 2005 Gulf-Op Oracle 
			 T22 Cumberland August-December Atlantic Patrol Task(North) 
			 T23 Portland March-September Atlantic Patrol Task(South) 
			 T23 Somerset June-August Nato 
			 T23 Argyll February-August Gulf-Op Telic 
			 T23 Monmouth November 2004 May 2005 Nato 
			 T23 Montrose October 2005-April 2006 Gulf-Op Telic

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many of the violent contacts between Coalition forces and insurgents in Iraq in the last 12 months were initiated by (a) British forces, (b) non-British Coalition forces and (c) insurgents; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he will answer the question from the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes, reference 29888, tabled on 15 November for answer on 17 November.

Adam Ingram: During 2005 there were some 25,200 recorded violent incidents involving Coalition troops across the whole of Iraq. Of these, about 510 took place in MND(SE). It is not possible in all cases to determine whether those who engaged our troops were Iraqis or foreign insurgents. Nor is it always possible to determine whether those incidents represented planned attacks on the Coalition, or chance encounters with those engaged in criminal behaviour.
	In MND(SE), British troops are authorised to open fire only when they judge that doing so is the only way in which they can avert a threat to life. It follows that in the vast majority of incidents, British troops will only have opened fire when fired upon, or when clear hostile intent had been demonstrated towards them.

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defencewhether British troops have visited the Iraqi Interior Ministry Building in the Jadirya district of Baghdad.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom troops have visited the Iraqi Interior Ministry building in the Jadirya district of Baghdad. They did not visit the detention facility in the basement of the building nor did they see any evidence of abuse.

Iraq

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many joint exercises have been conducted by elements from (a) 16 Air Assault Brigade and (b) the Joint Helicopter Command for possible deployment to Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Elements from the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), including 16 Air Assault Brigade, have undertaken no joint exercises in preparation for a possible future deployment to Iraq. JHC has, however provided Battlefield Helicopter support to 12 joint exercises in order to prepare other units and formations for such a deployment.
	I can however confirm that Joint Helicopter Command has undertaken three joint exercises in preparation for a possible deployment of elements of 16Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan.

Military Personnel (Private Hiring)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether members of (a) the Royal Military Police and (b) other military units have been hired on a (i) part-time and (ii) consultancy basis by (A) C Force Security and (B) other private security companies in the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  who will conduct the investigation ordered into the unauthorised hiring of service personnel by private security companies; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Information on whether members of military units have been hired by any private companies is not held centrally. In accordance with The Queen's Regulations, records of all approved applications to undertake off duty employment are maintained by Commanding Officers. Such records are retained at unit level and only for as long as the applicant remains at the unit.
	Recent allegations in the media concerning C Force Security are being investigated by the Royal Military Police.

QinetiQ

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what benefits employees of QinetiQ will receive from the company's flotation.

John Reid: The financial benefits to QinetiQ employees at the time of the initial public offering (IPO) are two-fold; first they will benefit from the award of free shares (£500 each) and the opportunity to purchase further shares in priority offers; secondly those who acquired shares or options at the time of the original public private partnership with the Carlyle Group will have the opportunity to exercise those options or sell those shares. Senior managers will be subject to a lock-up agreement which restricts the proportion of shares they are able to sell at the IPO and for the three years after flotation, and the chairman and chief executive will sell no shares at IPO. Full details of employee share schemes will be set out in the Prospectus, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House once it has been published.

QinetiQ

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the availability of shares in QinetiQ to QinetiQ employees.

John Reid: holding answer 19 January 2006
	At present, a total of 13 per cent. of the company is owned by QinetiQ employees in the form of ordinary shares (including share options): 7 per cent. by the company's 250 to 300 managers, and 6 per cent. by other members of the work force. All QinetiQ employees were given the chance to buy shares in the company at the time of the Public Private Partnership between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Carlyle Group, and around 2,000 chose to do so. The investment amount was not restricted and provided for employees to invest through a Co-investment share scheme on the same terms as the MOD and the Carlyle Group. All employees were also issued free share options worth a nominal value of £40 on 25 July 2003. All QinetiQ employees have now been offered £500 of free shares to be awarded on the date of the Initial Public Offering and they will also be entitled to purchase additional shares at that time. Full details of employee share schemes will be set out in the prospectus, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House once it has been published.

QinetiQ

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department will have the power to veto third party contracts proposed to be entered into by QinetiQ following its flotation.

John Reid: The existing arrangements, which were established in July 2001, and which allow the Ministry of Defence to prevent QinetiQ entering into transactions that would cause an unmanageable conflict of interest or otherwise be contrary to the defence or security interests of the UK, with the company's contracts with the MOD, will remain in place.

QinetiQ

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the United States Administration on the proposed sale of QinetiQ; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The Ministry of Defence has kept the United States Administration, and other allies, informed throughout the Public Private Partnership process for QinetiQ (and formerly the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency). This has been through various means, including briefing by staff from the British embassy Washington and updates at international meetings.

QinetiQ

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what share options will be made available to each grade of employee of QinetiQ.

John Reid: holding answer 23 January 2006
	The Initial Public Offering will include an employee offer which will, regardless of grade, provide £500 of free shares to all QinetiQ employees. In addition, all employees will be entitled to purchase further shares at that time. Full details of employee share schemes will be set out in the Prospectus, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House once it has been published.

RAF Hythe, Hampshire

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the (a) current and (b) future roles of RAF Hythe, Hampshire, in respect of (i) the refurbishment of military watercraft and (ii) the repair of mobile military generators and trailers;
	(2)  whether he has received proposals by the United States to (a) discontinue and (b) relocate the functions carried out at RAF Hythe.

Adam Ingram: RAF Hythe is an RAF facility made available to the United States visiting force under the terms of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951. It is currently operated by the US Army as a combat equipment base whose mission is the repair and maintenance of US Army water vessels, vehicles and mobile equipment. This includes the occasional modification of US Army boats and the repair and refurbishment of flatbed trailers and power generators.
	No US proposals have been received regarding an alteration to the US Army's current use of RAF Hythe.

Sea Cadets

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding was provided to sea cadets in each year since 1997.

Don Touhig: Prior to financial year 1999–2000 records of funding to the Sea Cadet Association, and more recently to the Marine Society and Sea Cadets, the parent charitable organisation of the Sea Cadet Corps, are no longer held. Details of funding provided since then are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 6,448 
			 2000–01 6,942 
			 2001–02 7,879 
			 2002–03 7,852 
			 2003–04 7,996 
			 2004–05 8,397 
		
	
	Figures for financial year 2005–06 are not yet available.

Smuggling (Mediterranean)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with (a) EU and (b) NATO colleagues about the use of British naval ships to combat people and narcotic smuggling in the Mediterranean.

Adam Ingram: Ministers have had no discussions within either the EU or NATO about the use of British naval ships to combat people and narcotic smuggling in the Mediterranean.
	However, we are alive to this issue and RN ships transiting the Mediterranean are in contact with littoral states and will, as appropriate, pass intelligence relating to people suspected of engaging in unlawful activity to the anticipated country of destination. For example, in October 2005 the UK contributed a Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft on a short term basis to Operation NEPTUNE IV, a Greek-Italian operation to organise and perform counter illegal immigration operations in pre-defined sea areas and ports in the Mediterranean.

United States Military Assets

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the principal United States military assets in the United Kingdom; and where those assets are located.

Adam Ingram: The locations of the principal United States military assets in the United Kingdom are:
	RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire
	RAF Croughton, Northants
	RAF Daws Hill, Buckinghamshire
	RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire
	RAF Feltwell, Norfolk
	RAF Hythe, Hampshire
	RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk
	RAF Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire
	RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
	RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire
	RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire
	RAF Welford, Berkshire.

United States Military Assets

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the contribution made by United States military assets based in the United Kingdom to (a) the overall military capability of NATO and (b) local economies.

Adam Ingram: United States visiting force military assets stationed in the United Kingdom are potentially available, as necessary, in support of NATO missions. Any actual deployment will be undertaken on a case-by-case basis.
	The US visiting force makes a significant contribution to the local economies, where they have a large presence, largely through the direct hire of labour and the award of contracts on, for example, construction projects as well as more routine servicing and maintenance works. It is difficult to gauge a precise figure in monetary terms although one study by the US Air Force Europe suggests that the overall benefit to the UK economy in 2004 was in the region of $1 billion.

War Pensions Committee

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average time taken by a war pensions committee panel to report its findings once it has been convened is in the last period for which figures are available; and what the average time taken to act on the recommendation of such panels was in that period.

Don Touhig: For the period April 2004 to March 2005 there were 11 panel cases heard by war pensions committees. The average time taken for a War Pension Committee (WPC) to report its findings was 26 working days. It then took the Veterans Agency an average 33 working days to act on those recommendations.

War Pensions Committee

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the age of claimants of war disability pensions is taken into account in the prioritising of the processing of such claims.

Don Touhig: The Veterans Agency client group consists primarily of the older world war two generation, with well over 60 per cent. being aged 70 or over. With such a high number of elderly pensioners cases are prioritised on a needs basis with terminally ill, cancer and far east prisoners of war cases being fast tracked. Other cases are dealt with as a matter of priority where individual circumstances of the case require it.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will ensure that the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will provide a regional network of local organisations to carry out anti-discrimination and racial equality work.

Meg Munn: The Government are committed to the Commission for Equality and Human Rights having an effective regional presence to help it better serve all parts of Britain. These regional arrangements, which we will develop through consultation in due course, will enable the CEHR to understand local and regional priorities, build networks and partnerships with local bodies, and deliver services that are relevant and appropriate. The CEHR will have powers to make grants to local organisations, including continuing support for the network of Racial Equality Councils and its anti-discrimination and local race equality work. The work of the RECs is an important foundation on which the new Commission will build. The Government have made clear that funding through the CEHR for the RECs will be maintained at current levels for the foreseeable future.

Senior Public Appointments

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the promotion of women to senior public appointments.

Meg Munn: I am pleased that the percentage of women in public appointments has risen from 32 per cent. in 1997 to 38 per cent. in 2004–05 but still below the Government target of 50 per cent.
	I look forward to discussing how to continue with this important work once the post of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is filled.

SCOTLAND

Arbuthnott Commission

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Arbuthnott Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems in Scotland will publish its report; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Arbuthnott Commission published its report on Thursday 19 January. My right hon. Friend welcomed the report and said he would consider carefully the recommendations and respond in due course.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) Executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by his Department in each year since May 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the Scotland Office has spent the following on external consultants and advisers:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 0 
			 2000–01 5,465 
			 2001–02 17,864 
			 2002–03 10,720 
			 2003–04 10,044 
			 2004–05 2,817

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on advertising by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by his Department in each year since May 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999; since that date, the Office has spent the following on advertising:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 26,861 
			 2000–01 270,494 
			 2001–02 186,564 
			 2002–03 10,390 
			 2003–04 0 
			 2004–05 0 
		
	
	Most of the expenditure in 2000–01 and 2001–02 relates to electoral registration matters; since 2001, this has been the responsibility of the Electoral Commission.
	The Boundary Commission for Scotland has spent the following on advertising:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 0 
			 2000–01 0 
			 2001–02 0 
			 2002–03 107,349 
			 2003–04 66,105 
			 2004–05 0

Departmental Expenditure

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many widescreen televisions have been purchased by his Department for use in London headquarters in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not maintain a central record of electrical devices purchased. The information requested could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total administrative costs of his core Department were in the last period for which figures are available; and whether these are regarded as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses.

David Cairns: The total administration costs for the Scotland Office for 2005–06 is £4.789 million which is all regarded as identifiable.

Scottish Parliament

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet representatives of the (a) Scottish Parliament and (b) Scottish Executive to discuss mechanisms for consulting on the Government's policy on changing the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament.

David Cairns: There are no plans for such meetings. Government policy on the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament is reflected in the Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004.

PR Companies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the public relations companies that have had contracts with (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations since May 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999; since that date, no contracts have been awarded to any public relations companies.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was recovered in Livingston as a consequence of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in 2004.

David Cairns: This is a devolved matter and the information requested is not broken down by constituency or local authority area. However, from 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005, the Financial Crime Unit of the Crown Office successfully obtained confiscation orders for over £1,367,000 worth of assets gained from criminal activity for the whole of Scotland. In addition, restraint orders were granted during that period for £37,860,000 worth of assets.

Television Licence

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Livingston were prosecuted in 2004 for failing to hold a current TV licence.

David Cairns: Responsibility for these statistics lies with the Scottish Executive.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Aimspro

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the merits of the introduction of the medicine Aimspro in Northern Ireland for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Shaun Woodward: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has made no assessment of the merits of introducing Aimspro in Northern Ireland for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Aimspro is not a licensed medicine in the United Kingdom. Before a product is granted a licence, an applicant needs to demonstrate that the product complies with appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy as laid out in the relevant European and national legislation and guidelines. This will include demonstration of the safety and efficacy of the product in appropriately conducted clinical trials in the population for which the medicine is to be used.

Child Care

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) state funded and (b) private child care places there are in each ward in each Parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland expressed as (i) a number and (ii) a percentage of children and listed in descending order.

Shaun Woodward: The information is not available in the format requested. The latest available information on state funded and private child care places in Northern Ireland is detailed in Table 1 and Table 2 below by Health and Social Services Trusts, and relates to the position as at 31 March 2005.
	The information in Table 1, column (a) details for each HSS Trust the total numbers of private day care places 1 for children, and this total expressed as a percentage of the population aged under 18 2 for each Trust and for Northern Ireland as whole (column (b)) in descending order.
	Table 2 details similar totals (c) and percentages (d) as per Table 1, in respect of children placed and paid for by Trusts. Table 2 also details children placed and paid for by Trusts as a percentage of private day care places (e).
	1 Including Day Nurseries, Play Groups and Child Minders
	2 Based on the 2001 Census of Population in Northern Ireland
	
		Table 1
		
			 Trust Private day care places for children (a) Private day care places for children as a % of the population aged under 18 (b) 
		
		
			 South and East Belfast 4,467 10.5 
			 Ulster Community and hospitals 3,514 10.0 
			 Causeway 2,329 9.0 
			 Homefirst 6,764 7.9 
			 Down Lisburn 3,260 6.8 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 1,800 5.4 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 1,339 4.5 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 1,248 3.7 
			 North and West Belfast 1,405 3.3 
			 Foyle 1,327 2.7 
			 Newry and Mourne 464 1.8 
			 Northern Ireland 27,917 6.2 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			 Trust Children placed and paid for by Trust (c) Children placed and paid for by Trust as a % of the population aged under 18 (d) Children placed and paid for by Trust as a % of the private day care places (e) 
		
		
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 129 0.4 7.2 
			 South and East Belfast 140 0.3 3.1 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 81 0.3 6.0 
			 Ulster Community and hospitals 92 0.3 2.6 
			 Down Lisburn 121 0.3 3.7 
			 Causeway 60 0.2 2.6 
			 Newry and Mourne 55 0.2 11.9 
			 Homefirst 175 0.2 2.6 
			 North and West Belfast 45 0.1 3.2 
			 Foyle 18 0.0 1 .4 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 11 0.0 0.9 
			 Northern Ireland 927 0.2 3.3

Civil Service

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to avert the possible Civil Service industrial action in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Government regrets the Trade Union's decision to proceed with a statutory ballot for strike action. As part of the normal negotiating process officials had a series of meetings with trade union representatives on the 2005 pay round dating back to July of last year. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met personally with the Trade Union on two occasions in an attempt to reach agreement with them on the 2005 pay deal. During the course of the negotiations a number of information bulletins were issued to staff, continually up-dating them on the negotiations and providing them with details of the 3.49 per cent. pay offer made by management. This offer represented the maximum available to the Northern Ireland Civil Service under the terms of the Government's pay policy. Officials made it clear that they were prepared to negotiate the content of the offer in order better to meet Trade Union concerns, subject to remaining within the 3.49 per cent. envelope approved.
	Under the terms of the offer the majority of staff this year will see their pay increase by between 2.2 per cent. and 6.5 per cent. depending on their position on their pay scale. It took cognisance of the fact that inflation was 2.3 per cent. at July 2005 (the settlement date was 1 August) while private sector earnings growth was less than 3 per cent. In this wider context I firmly believe that the 2005 pay deal is fair and reasonable and represents the best that could have been achieved for staff in the prevailing economic circumstances.
	There was no additional money available for this year's pay round and as a result there was nothing to be gained in further delaying payment of the pay offer to staff. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State therefore wrote to all staff on 20 December 2005 indicating that the deal would be paid as soon as possible. This was the fairest course of action in all the circumstances. Naturally it would have been preferable if agreement could have been reached with the Trade Union not just on this year's pay deal but on how best to address next year's pay remit. In that context My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has invited the Trade Union to work with officials in developing the strongest possible business case in support of the 2006 pay remit. I hope that that invitation will be accepted and that we can work constructively together to secure the best possible deal for staff in 2006.
	I hope that the staff will form a judgment based on the facts, and that a strike can thus be avoided. In the meantime however, Departments have been asked to draw up appropriate contingency plans to be put in train in the event of an all out strike. All appropriate measures will of course be taken to minimise the impact of any strike action on our public services.

Civil Service Relocation

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in relation to the Lyons Relocation Target for the Northern Ireland Office.

Shaun Woodward: The Lyons report asked that eight NIO staff be relocated from London and the South East of England by March 2008. The Northern Ireland Office is on target to deliver 9.5 staff by this date and have at present (January 2006) delivered 6.5 staff.

Communication Aids Project

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to extend the Communication Aids Project launched by the Department for Education and Skills in England in 2002 to Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: There are no plans to introduce the Communication Aids Project, which has run in England and Wales from 2002 and will end this year, to Northern Ireland. The remit of this project is covered by the C2k (Classroom 2000) project in Northern Ireland.

Crime

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by his Department in its objective of reducing crime and the threat of crime.

David Hanson: The Northern Ireland Office has a specific public service agreement to reduce the incidence of domestic burglary in Northern Ireland by 15 per cent. by March 2007 and to reduce vehicle crime by 10 per cent. in the same timescale. The reduction is measured against the recorded crime figures for the year 2001–02.
	At 31 March 2005, the level of domestic burglary against the 2001–02 recorded crime figures had reduced by 19.5 per cent. and the level of vehicle crime by 37 per cent. Further reductions have been noted in the crime figures for the first nine months of the 2005–06 year against both categories of crime. We are therefore well on course to meet these targets but will continue to closely monitor progress and take appropriate action where necessary.
	While there is no specific target to reduce the fear of crime, we consider reducing fear of crime to be a key part of our target to improve confidence in the CJSNI. It is crucial that the people of Northern Ireland feel safe in their homes and in going about their daily lives. The criminal justice organisations, working together through the Criminal Justice Board, are committed to improving public awareness and understanding of the justice system, and therefore help reduce fear of crime. A number of these initiatives include: a one-stop CJSNI website, a criminal justice module in the citizenship curriculum for key stage 4, and a series of criminal justice roadshows planned for spring and summer of this year.
	All criminal justice agencies are working towards reducing crime and the fear of crime. The police are, for example, on course to meet their target in the Policing Plan around the number of police that are available for frontline duties by 2007–08. The Northern Ireland Community Safety strategy outlines further measures to be taken forward to tackle fear of crime among older people, vulnerable adults and children. A number of successful projects have or are being implemented, including the extension of the Bee Safe project for primary school children, supporting Get Home Safe" projects across Northern Ireland and providing information to older people about bogus callers in addition to improving home security through the Lock Out Crime scheme.

Departmental Equipment

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) laptops and (b) mobile phones his Department bought in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each category of equipment was in each year.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its Agencies and NDPBs, is unable to provide all of the information requested by the hon. Member.
	In regards to question (a) the Department has purchased the following number of laptops since 1997:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 28 
			 1998–99 34 
			 1999–2000 55 
			 2000–01 30 
			 2001–02 22 
			 2002–03 34 
			 2003–04 37 
			 2004–05 34 
		
	
	Each laptop costs, on average, £1,500.
	In regards to question (b) , we are unable to provide total numbers and costs of mobile phones as the majority of them have been purchased as part of a contract package which does not involve a cost at the time of purchase. The numbers of mobile phones we have purchased outside of contract packages are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 6 
			 1998–99 8 
			 1999–2000 1 
			 2000–01 3 
			 2001–02 3 
			 2002–03 6 
			 2003–04 1 
			 2004–05 5 
			 2005–06 2

Departmental Expenditure

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department on refreshments in each year since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its Agencies and NDPBs, is unable to provide an answer in the form requested by the hon. Member due to the NIO's financial system being unable to separate out this type of expenditure. To answer the hon. Member's question would involve a manual trawl of files which could only be carried out at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Finance

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efficiency gains have been made by the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has been collating detailed information regarding efficiency gains since 2004–05. Information prior to this date would not be sufficiently comprehensive to allow for a wholly accurate picture to be articulated.
	In 2004–05 efficiency gains of £8.6 million were identified across the range of bodies which come within the NIO departmental expenditure limit, including the core Department, PSNI, and NI Prison Service. In 2005–06, it is expected that these same organisations will generated efficiency gains of almost £39 million.

Education and Library Boards

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the senior education officer posts in the (a) Western and (b) Southern education and library boards are not being advertised publicly.

Angela Smith: The Senior Education Officer posts have been created as a result of a collaborative working proposal brought forward by the Southern and Western Education and Library Boards and are being trawled on a restricted basis between both Boards. The Boards and the Staff Commission for the Education and Library Boards have advised that under existing procedures, appointment to any reconfigured post/s within a new structure where voluntary redundancies have been approved can be made on the basis of a restricted trawl within the defined unit of redundancy. In the case of these posts, the unit of redundancy is the Western and Southern Education and Library Boards and the posts, which have a fundamentally new remit within a Collaborative Working context, are being trawled on a restricted basis within both Boards. This is to ensure that the necessary savings are achieved at each Board.
	Under RPA Boards are conscious of the need to plan for reduction in staffing levels while taking all reasonable steps to avoid compulsory redundancies. To achieve this, Boards, with the agreement of the Staff Commission, are using restricted trawls to avoid adding to their staffing complements and to achieve efficiency savings.

Education and Library Boards

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether education and library boards require departmental approval before recruiting for a senior post by internal trawl rather than public advertisement.

Angela Smith: The Staff Commission for education and library boards is the statutory body that is responsible for the oversight of matters connected with the recruitment, promotion, training and terms and conditions of employment of education and library board staff. It has agreed with the five boards procedures for the recruitment of staff that reflect legislative requirements and good practice. The Department's approval role in such matters relates only to the arrangements for appointing at chief executive and chief librarian level and the terms and conditions of remuneration for second tier posts.
	Under RPA boards are conscious of the need to plan for reduction in staffing levels while taking all reasonable steps to avoid compulsory redundancies. To achieve this, boards, with the agreement of the Staff Commission, are using restricted trawls to avoid adding to their staffing complements and to achieve efficiency savings.

Education Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding per pupil in real terms was spent on (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) further education in each local authority area of Northern Ireland in each of the past 20 years.

Angela Smith: The information in the form requested is not available in the format or over the time period requested.

Firearms

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many suspected members of the IRA have been found in possession of firearms since the IRA declared it had fully disarmed.

Shaun Woodward: PSNI has confirmed that no suspected members of the IRA have been found in possession of firearms since the IRA declared it had fully disarmed.

Hospitals (Delayed Discharges)

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce unnecessary delays in discharges from hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: Reducing the number of delayed discharges is a key priority for the Government. We have set a target to reduce the number of delayed discharges in 2005–06 by 15 per cent. Action is being taken to streamline processes within hospitals to ensure that people remain as patients no longer than is necessary.
	HPSS bodies have drawn up detailed plans to address delayed discharge, a key feature of which is the expansion of intermediate care services designed to prevent unnecessary admissions and facilitate prompt discharge. These developments are part of wider reform and modernisation across the HPSS, which aims to reduce reliance on hospitals by expanding community-based services so that people can have access to efficient and high quality services in the most appropriate setting.

Inter-community Projects

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is proposing to sustain PEACE II funded inter-community projects in Northern Ireland beyond 2008.

Angela Smith: EU PEACE funding is finite, special assistance. As a result, all assisted projects were required to have an exit strategy in place.
	We have now secured a third round of EU PEACE funding but with a much smaller budget than before. The details of this third PEACE Programme, including its spending priorities and project selection criteria, will be developed following extensive consultation over the coming months. Some projects currently funded under PEACE II may be eligible to compete with other project proposals for a share of the available funding.
	Alternatively, some current PEACE II projects may bid for mainstream public expenditure. Such bids will be assessed against other, competing bids on the basis of merit and potential contribution to the overall objectives of the relevant accountable Department.

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many patients each health board has commissioned interuterine insemination (IUI) treatment in each of the last five years, broken down by IUI (a) service provider and (b) location.

Shaun Woodward: The number of patients for whom interuterine insemination treatment (IUI) was commissioned in each of the last five financial years is shown in the following table:
	
		Number of patients receiving Interuterine Insemination Treatment
		
			 Health Board of Residence 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Eastern(29) n/a 70 40 100 35 
			 Northern(29) n/a n/a 102 111 129 
			 Southern 150 150 150 150 150 
			 Western 58 42 45 31 54 
		
	
	(29)Figures for Eastern Board are not available for 2000–01 and Northern Board figures are not available prior to 2002–03.
	Note:
	Eastern Board figures do not include unstimulated intrauterine insemination (SIUI) treatments.

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients have received interuterine insemination treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The number of patients who have received interuterine insemination treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital is shown in the following table. It is important to note that each patient will have had up to four cycles of treatment with numerous hospital visits for each cycle.
	
		
			  Number of patients 
		
		
			 2000–01 58 
			 2001–02 42 
			 2002–03 45 
			 2003–04 31 
			 2004–05 54 
		
	
	Source:
	Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients have been affected by the withdrawal of interuterine insemination services at Altnagelvin Area Hospital.

Shaun Woodward: There are currently 68 patients on the waiting list for interuterine insemination treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital. In addition, there are 94 patients who have already been registered for interuterine insemination treatment and will have their treatment completed.

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long the (a) waiting lists and (b) average waiting times are for interuterine insemination treatments in Northern Ireland, broken down by provider.

Shaun Woodward: Waiting list information is collected by time band. It is therefore not possible to calculate the arithmetic mean (average) length of time waiting. It is however possible to identify the median or mid point waiting time band.
	The number of patients waiting for interuterine insemination treatment (IUI) and the median waiting times for Altnagelvin Group, Craigavon Area Hospital Group and the Royal Group of Hospitals Health and Social Service Trusts (the three providers of this service) are shown in the following table.
	
		Waiting for interuterine insemination treatment at31 December 2005
		
			 Health and social service trust Number waiting  Median waiting time band(30) 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group 68 6 months for women approaching 38 years 
			   15–18 months for younger women 
			
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group(31) n/a <1 month 
			
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 62 Not able to provide median waiting times 
		
	
	n/a=not available
	(30)Waiting times are from consultant referral to commencement of treatment.
	(31)For number waiting, fertility patients cannot be identified separately from gynaecology patients.

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the limitation and subsequent withdrawal of interuterine insemination services at Altnagelvin Area Hospital in late 2005; and what steps he is taking to provide alternative service providers for the patients affected.

Shaun Woodward: Interuterine insemination (IUI) was provided at Altnagelvin until December last year. However, in 2005 the Trust assessed how it could most appropriately maintain existing services within Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the context of competing clinical priorities, the constraints of the new consultant contract and the effectiveness of treatments.
	On the basis of this assessment the Trust, together with the Western Board, has determined that patients who require IUI treatment should more appropriately be referred to the specialised fertility services at the Regional Fertility Centre (RFC).
	Patients wishing to access publicly funded IVF services are required to have had four IUI treatments. The Trust advises that those patients who have already commenced their IUI treatment cycle at Altnagelvin will have their four cycles completed there.
	The Western Board has made arrangements to commission IUI treatment from the RFC for those patients who have not yet commenced treatment.

Interuterine Insemination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to review the number of interuterine insemination treatments a patient has to undergo in order to qualify for health service-funded IVF treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: In 2001 a Steering Group established by the Health and Social Services Boards recommended that couples with unexplained fertility of at least three years duration and those with minimal/mild endometriosis or mild or moderate male factor infertility should have at least four cycles of interuterine insemination before accessing publicly funded fertility services.
	I expect to announce revised criteria for accessing IVF and related treatments in the very near future.

IRA Decommissioning

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 329W, on IRA decommissioning, what the (a) original and (b) final estimates were for the size of the IRA arsenal.

Shaun Woodward: It remains the case that publishing estimates of IRA armaments would be tantamount to pre-empting the IICD's report, which it intends to hand over to Government at the conclusion of its work.
	The Government expect a full report on armaments to be published when the IICD's mandate is complete.

IRA Prisoners (Early Release)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the IRA have been released from jail before their sentence has been fully served since 1997, broken down by the year which they were released.

Shaun Woodward: The information sought is available only in relation to the perceived affiliation of those persons who were released 'early' under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 PIRA 208 
			 UDA 90 
			 UVF 67 
			 INLA 31 
			 LVF 17 
			 UFF 13 
			 RHC 3 
			 'Loyalist' 4 
			 'Republican' 2 
			 No Affiliation 12 
			 Total 447 
		
	
	For those believed to be affiliated to PIRA the number of releases by year since 1998 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of Releases 
		
		
			 1998 112 
			 1999 31 
			 2000 54 
			 2001 11 
			 Total 208 
		
	
	Note:
	Perceived affiliations are noted at the time of a person's committal to prison or taken from a prisoner's assertion at time of application for 'early' release.

IVF Treatment

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many patients IVF treatment has been commissioned in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: It is not possible to provide precise data on the number of patients that have received IVF treatment as the data collected refer to treatment cycles provided rather than patients treated. The following table sets out the number of IVF treatment cycles commissioned since 2002–03. Accurate data are not available prior to 2002–03.
	
		
			  Number of IVF cycles commissioned 
		
		
			 2002–03 132 
			 2003–04 203 
			 2004–05 183

Jobcentres

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to change the amount of personal advice available to unemployed people at jobcentres in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Jobs and benefits offices provide a personal adviser service for every jobseekers allowance, income support and incapacity benefit claimant. The Department and the Social Security Agency are increasing the support offered to incapacity benefit (IB) customers through Pathways to Work pilots in Lurgan, Magherafelt and Ballymoney. IB claimants in these areas are supported by a specialised personal adviser, who is trained to deal with the additional challenges these customers face. It is intended to expand the pilot to an additional seven offices during 2006–07.

Kidney Transplants

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide ring-fenced funding for kidney transplants in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The kidney transplant service in Northern Ireland, based at the Belfast City Hospital, is one of a number of specialised services commissioned by the Health and Social Services Boards, which work collaboratively through the Regional Medical Services Consortium to ensure a co-ordinated, regional approach. Funding for specific specialist or regional services is not normally ring-fenced. There are no plans to ring-fence funding for the kidney transplant service.

Lavery Report

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in respect of each recommendation of the Lavery Report on vetting and child protection in Northern Ireland (a) whether the Government accepts the recommendation, (b) the action that the Government have taken to date in respect of the recommendation; (c) any further action he intends to take; (d) the time scale for such further action and (e) whether the recommendation requires legislation.

Angela Smith: The Government issued a response to the report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People on vetting arrangements in Northern Ireland, A Right to Protection", which was conducted by Ruth Lavery on 22 November 2005. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Government have accepted all of the Commissioner's recommendations. The response sets out the actions that have been or will be taken. Government have agreed to provide the Commissioner with time scales for the completion of outstanding actions as soon as possible. Finally, legislation will be required for those recommendations linked to the implementation of the Bichard Report in Northern Ireland.

Measuring Public Opinion

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used to assess confidence of the public in the police in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: A range of quantitative surveys are commissioned by both the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Policing Board with a view to measuring community confidence in various aspects of the service provided by the police in Northern Ireland.
	Three main quantitative surveys are used, each of which is conducted by the Central Survey Unit of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency:
	(a) The Northern Ireland Crime Survey (NICS), a personal interview survey of experiences and perceptions of crime, being conducted on a continuous basis since January 2005.
	(b) The Northern Ireland Omnibus Survey, a 'snapshot' personal interview survey covering a range of topics, run several times each year.
	(c) The District Policing Partnership (DPPs) Public Consultation Survey, a postal survey covering local policing priorities, satisfaction with the police and awareness of DPPs, conducted every two years.
	Public confidence in the police is presently being measured as part of the NIO 2004 public service agreement (PSA target 1). The aim of target 1 is to increase confidence in the police throughout all parts of the community in Northern Ireland by 3 percentage points, by April 2008, from a composite baseline figure of 73 per cent. (obtained through NICS 2003–04 and the April 2004 Northern Ireland Omnibus Survey). The NICS is being used to monitor progress towards this target via a suite of seven indicators, which elicit views on the fairness and effectiveness of the police and policing arrangements:
	1. how good a job the police are doing in the local area;
	2. whether they can provide an ordinary day-to-day policing service;
	3. whether they treat Catholic and Protestant members of the public equally;
	4. whether the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) is part of the police or independent of the police;
	5. whether the NIPB helps ensure that the police do a good job;
	6. whether the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI) is part of the police or independent of the police; and
	7. whether OPONI helps ensure that the police do a good job.
	The Northern Ireland Omnibus Survey is used by the Policing Board to commission research on public perceptions of the police, DPPs and the NIPB. Results from these surveys are published twice a year and can be found on the Policing Board website at www.nipolicingboard.org.uk

Ministerial Meetings

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings Lord Rooker has attended in (a) Brussels and (b) Westminster on sea fisheries since taking up the position of Minister with responsibility for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Angela Smith: Lord Rooker has not attended any meetings in Brussels and Westminster on sea fisheries matters, but he has been fully briefed by senior officials on issues of significance and has contacted ministerial colleagues to press the Northern Ireland case as appropriate.
	He met with EU Fisheries Commissioner Borg when he visited Kilkeel on 11 November 2005.

Missed Outpatient Appointments

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce the number of patients who fail to keep hospital outpatient appointments.

Shaun Woodward: The problem of patients failing to attend for an outpatient appointment is, at least in part, symptomatic of the very long time many of them have to wait. In the past patients here were given an appointment date months or even years in advance. To address this I recently announced a total redesign of the whole outpatient system and by March 2008 no patient will be waiting more than 13 weeks for an outpatient appointment following referral by his or her GP.
	In the meantime, partial booking systems are already being implemented in all outpatient specialties to ensure that patients are given a choice of available appointment times and that no appointments are booked any more than six weeks in advance. Outpatient improvement managers are also being put in place in all trusts to ensure that services are more responsive to patients' needs.

Multiple Sclerosis

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent action has been taken to improve access to specialist drugs for patients with (a) relapsing and remitting and (b) primary progressive multiple sclerosis in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: An additional £9 million has been provided over the last four years for specialist drug therapies, including disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis. A further £100,000 was made available from 2002–03 specifically to support the infrastructure for the provision of disease modifying therapies for MS. The number of people who currently have access to these drugs has increased from 442 in April 2003 to 579 at present.
	It is for the health and social services boards, as commissioners of services, to prioritise how funding is used, taking into account the competing demands and pressures in their areas and the strategic objectives and priorities of my Department. This year, the boards will spend an estimated £4.7 million providing disease modifying treatment to patients with multiple sclerosis.
	The Department remains committed to improving access to specialist drugs which offer the potential for significant improvements in patient care. Last November I indicated my intention to allocate an additional £9 million recurrently for hospital and specialist drugs in 2006–07, with a further £5 million in 2007–08. I will be making a further announcement about specialist drugs shortly.

Multiple Sclerosis

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in each of the four health board areas are waiting to receive MS drugs; what the waiting times were in each of the four health board areas from (a) general practitioner referral to first appointment with a hospital consultant and (b) first appointment until treatment was actually received in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The number of patients waiting for MS drug treatment at 4 January 2006 and the median waiting time in each health and social services board is shown in the table.
	
		Waiting for MS drug treatment at 4 January 2006
		
			 Health board of residence Number waiting Median waiting time band (month) 
		
		
			 Eastern 54 6–8 
			 Northern 63 6–8 
			 Southern 17 6–8 
			 Western 22 9–11 
			 Northern Ireland total 156 6–8 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Nine patients currently suspended from the waiting list are excluded from these figures.
	2.Waiting time is measured from when the decision to treat the patient with disease modifying drugs for MS was taken.
	Source: :
	Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust
	The Department remains committed to improving access to specialist drugs which offer the potential for significant improvement in patient care. Disease modifying treatments for people with multiple sclerosis have been available in Northern Ireland since the mid-1990s and some 579 people are currently receiving these drugs.

New Books

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on new books in each of the education and library boards in each of the last four years.

David Hanson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr. Campbell) on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 854W.

Orange Hall (Attacks)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 14 December 2005, Official Report, column 2101W, on Orange Hall (Attacks), how many attacks were carried out in each month of 2005.

Shaun Woodward: PSNI has supplied the following statistical information in response to this question.
	
		
			 Month Number of attacks 
		
		
			 January 3 
			 February 2 
			 March 2 
			 April 1 
			 May 0 
			 June 0 
			 July 13 
			 August 5 
			 September 3 
			 October 3 
			 November 0 
			 December 1 
			 Total 33 
		
	
	Note:
	Includes incidents such as stones thrown, petrol bombs thrown, shots fired, malicious fires, etc.

Organised Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the scale of this problem.

Shaun Woodward: The Government are committed to tackling organised crime across the board, from whatever source. Through the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) the Government have brought together key law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland to deliver a multi-agency, partnership response. The restructuring of the Task Force last year will further improve operational co-operation and strengthen the analytical focus on which this work is based.
	The 2005 OCTF annual report has made clear that the overall levels of organised criminal activity remain high and criminal gangs are increasingly sophisticated and ruthless in the way they undertake their activities. The operational successes of the OCTF partner agencies continues to have a significant impact on top level organised crime gangs and I pay tribute to their on-going effectiveness and commitment.

Police

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by his Department on police oversight arrangements in each year since the publication of the Patten report.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 860W.

Police

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by (a) his Department and (b) the Northern Ireland Policing Board on the administration and running of district policing partnerships in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office is not responsible for spending on the administration and running of District Policing Partnerships in Northern Ireland. In accordance with the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 the Policing Board is required to make to the district councils a grant equal to three-quarters of the expenses reasonably incurred by the council in connection with the establishment of, or the exercise of functions by, a DPP.
	The Policing Board has advised me that the total cost to the Policing Board of the administration and running costs in relation to the District Policing Partnerships from initial set up to the year ending 31 March 2005 was £7,283,000.

Police

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by the Police Ombudsman's Office on (a) administration and (b) case work in each year since its formation.

Shaun Woodward: The following information was provided by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland:
	
		£
		
			 Financial year Case related expenditure(32) Administration expenditure(33) 
		
		
			 2004/05 4,445,271 3,304,840 
			 2003/04 3,952,881 2,869,500 
			 2002/03 3,902,966 2,945,546 
			 6 November 2000 to 31 March 2002 4,342,610 3,478,768 
		
	
	(32)Case related expenditure covers specifically the costs of investigative staff designated to receiving and investigating complaints, as well as directly related expenditure incurred during the course of this work.
	(33)All other costs incurred by the Office is classified under the broad heading of 'administration' and include premises related expenditure, stationary and equipment, non-cash elements such as depreciation, diminution of assets and notional cost of capital and support functions of the Office such as corporate services, executive, legal, media and policy and practice which are vital to underpin the work of the Investigations Directorate.

Private Sector Jobs

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what policies have been introduced in Northern Ireland since 1997 to increase the number of private sector jobs in the economy.

Angela Smith: Since 1997, Government have introduced a wide range of measures to deliver its long-term goal of improving Northern Ireland's competitive position which will ultimately lead to better employment opportunities for all. Examples include DETIs Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Regional Innovation Strategies, DARD's Vision Action Plan and a number of DSD initiatives designed to regenerate urban areas and promote private sector investment and job creation.
	A significant policy decision taken has been to bring a more integrated approach to economic development through amalgamating the Industrial Development Board, Local Enterprise Development Unit and the Industrial Research and Technology Unit into one single agency, Invest Northern Ireland.
	The Economic Vision for Northern Ireland recognises that the private sector must grow if Northern Ireland is to improve its economic performance. Investing in innovation, enterprise, skills and infrastructure will facilitate private sector growth in the Northern Ireland economy while policies such as national minimum wage, tax credits and new deal will ensure that work pays.
	Since 1997, the number of private sector jobs in Northern Ireland has increased by 16.5 per cent. to 472,944 compared to an 11.6 per cent. increase in public sector jobs which at September 2005 stood at 217,805 jobs.

Sexual Violence Strategy

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there is a timetable for the (a) publication and (b) implementation of the Sexual Violence Strategy; whether there is a publication date for the consultation paper; and what plans there are in each Department to prioritise the strategy's implementation.

Shaun Woodward: The development of a regional strategy to address sexual violence in Northern Ireland is being taken forward jointly by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Northern Ireland Office, in conjunction with other Departments and agencies whose responsibilities also have a bearing on matters relating to sexual violence. It is proposed to publish a consultation document by this summer and to publish the final strategy in April 2007. Implementation plans will be agreed with each Department and agency following the consultation process and prior to the strategy being finalised. The implementation plans will be published with the strategy.

Shorts/Bombardier

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unfair dismissal claims were made against Shorts/Bombardier in each of the last five years; and what the outcome was in each case.

Angela Smith: The following table, provided by the Office of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal, sets out the number of claims made against Shorts/Bombardier for each of the lasts five years, the outcome of those processed to date and the number of live cases.
	
		Unfair dismissal cases registered against Shorts/Bombardier 2001–05
		
			 UD(34) cases Total number of claims which include jurisdiction of UD(34) Number of cases allowed Number of cases dismissed Number of cases conciliated Number of cases withdrawn Number of cases stayed(35) Number of cases DFWOP(36) Number of cases WDS(37) Number of live cases 
		
		
			 2001 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 
			 2002 97 0 9 0 6 2 0 7 73 
			 2003 358 0 1 2 77 0 29 4 245 
			 2004 11 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 8 
			 2005 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 
			 Total 474 0 10 5 87 2 29 13 328 
		
	
	(34)UD—Unfair dismissal.
	(35)Stayed—the proceedings are stopped until further notice.
	(36)WDS—withdrawn following settlement.
	(37)DFWOP—dismissed for want of prosecution.

Shorts/Bombardier

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) amounts, (b) categories and (c) purposes of grant aid from public expenditure allocated to Shorts/Bombardier in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Shorts/Bombardier has been made a total of £26,678,958 in offers of assistance over the last five years. The information requested is set out as follows.
	
		Public funding allocated to bombardier financial years 2000–01 to 2004–05
		
			 Allocating department/agency  Financial year Amount of grant offered (£) Category: revenue/capital  Purpose of grant 
		
		
			 IDE 2000–01 11,752,000 Revenue Participation in new aircraft programmes. 
			 IDE 2000–01 2,090 Revenue Attendance at Farnborough Air Show. 
			 IRTU 2000–01 408 Revenue To encourage Bombardier to meet with European Commission re collaborative R and D. 
			 IDE 2001–02 181,780 Revenue To improve and introduce new skills in company. 
			 IDE 2001–02 1,155 Revenue Attendance at Paris Air Show on Invest NI group stand. 
			 Invest NI 2003–04 5,240,000 Revenue To improve and introduce new skills in company. 
			 Invest NI 2003–04 8,800,000 Revenue Participation in Global 5000 and Learjet 40 Aircraft Programmes. 
			 Invest NI 2004–05 701,525 Revenue Research and Development on three new (Start) projects.

HEALTH

Arm's Length Bodies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list her Department's arm's length bodies; what each body's full-time equivalent staffing level is; and what the annual budget of each body was in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Arm's length body (ALB) Operating costs budget 2005–06 (excluding non- recurrent elements) (£000) Number of staff in whole-time equivalents as at May/June 2005 (data from ALBs) 
		
		
			 Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (the HealthCare Commission) 78,732 771 
			 Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health 29,930 189 
			 Commission for Social Care Inspection 144,260 2,622 
			 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence 1,950 11 
			 Dental Practice Board 23,062 272 
			 General Social Care Council 14,310 262 
			 Health and Social Care Information Centre 42,900 366 
			 Health Protection Agency 228,600 3,144 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 8,421 106 
			 Human Tissue Authority 1,000 (38)16 
			 Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts (Monitor) 12,000 28 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 62,970 807 
			 Mental Health Act Commission 5,218 36 
			 National Institute for Biological Standards and Control 19,739 308 
			 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence 29,894 230 
			 National Patient Safety Agency 28,618 238 
			 National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse 11,510 88 
			 NHS Appointments Commission 5,981 51 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant 415,272 6,156 
			 NHS Business Services Authority(39) — — 
			 NHS Connecting for Health 115,230 786 
			 NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service 14,897 250 
			 NHS Dental Vocational Training Authority England and Wales 281 3 
			 NHS Direct 161,900 3,461 
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement 80,000 170 
			 NHS Litigation Authority 14,095 166 
			 NHS Logistics Authority 70,658 1,462 
			 NHS Pensions Agency 22,066 363 
			 NHS Professionals 31,000 807 
			 NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency 22,081 356 
			 Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board 6,742 36 
			 Prescription Pricing Authority 75,606 1,940 
		
	
	(38)The Human Tissue Authority was not fully operational May/June 2005. The staff figure cited is therefore at January 2006.
	(39)The NHS Business Services Authority will take on the functions of the Dental Practice Board, the Prescriptions Pricing Authority, the NHS Pensions Agency and the NHS Counter- Fraud and Security Management Service in April 2006.

Avian Influenza

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts have drawn up emergency plans for a possible outbreak of avian influenza.

Rosie Winterton: It is important to be clear aboutthe differences between seasonal influenza, avian influenza and pandemic influenza. Avian influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds. Seasonal influenza refers to the virus that circulates in the human population and causes widespread illness each winter. Pandemic influenza will only occur after an avian virus has mutated into a novel strain which can spread easily between humans, and to which they do not have immunity.
	All primary care trusts and health organisations are required to develop and maintain local contingency arrangements to respond to any influenza outbreak, including a pandemic and those plans are currently being audited.

Avian Influenza

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedure is in place to treat people exposed to potential cases of Avian influenza; which treatments are available; and what time scale has been set within which such treatment should be administered.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 29 November 2005
	It is important to be clear about the differences between seasonal flu, avian flu and pandemic flu. Avian influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds. Seasonal flu refers to the virus that circulates in the human population and causes widespread illness each winter. Pandemic flu will only occur after an avian virus has mutated into a novel strain which can spread easily between humans and to which they do not have immunity.
	In the event of a confirmed outbreak of Avian influenza, all those who have been exposed, or at risk of exposure will be offered anti-viral therapy and seasonal influenza vaccine, as appropriate, within 24 to 48 hours of disease confirmation.
	Antiviral drugs and seasonal influenza vaccine will be made available through the Health Protection Agency's local health protection units in collaboration with the national health service, similar arrangements will apply in Wales and Scotland.

Barts and the London NHS Trust

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's policy is on the provision and specialised cancer and cardiac care services at the St.Bartholomew's site as part of a dual site operation at the Barts and the London NHS Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: In line with our policy of Shifting the Balance of Power", the relevant local national health service organisations will need to plan their services within the framework of the NHS Plan and other national documents, such as the improving outcomes series of cancer service guidance and the national service framework for coronary heart disease, to meet the needs of the population they serve.

Barts and the London NHS Trust

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what response her Department's access and capacity review yeam made to the full business case for redevelopment at the Barts and the London NHS Trust;
	(2)  what estimates she has made of the requirement for capacity at the Barts and the London NHS Trust.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 19 January 2006
	No estimate of capacity requirements for Barts and the London NHS Trust have been made centrally. Capacity planning is the responsibility of strategic health authorities (SHAs) in conjunction with their primary care trusts; NHS trusts; and other relevant stakeholders in their local health economies. SHA level capacity plans are taken forward through the Department's local delivery planning process.
	The Department's access directorate undertook an assessment of the Barts and the London NHS Trust private finance initiative scheme in October 2005. The assessment found that the bull business case for the scheme took into account the expected impact of the key elements of the capacity planning agenda and was broadly consistent with national assumptions and projected local capacity requirements. To supplement this work, the Secretary of State has asked the SHA to commission an independent review to ensure we have the right balance of cancer and cardiac services in North East London.

Bowel Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to prepare for increases in demands placed on NHS bowel cancer services as a result of the roll-out of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 January 2006
	The national health service bowel cancer screening pilot showed that screen detected cancers had no detrimental effect on bowel cancer services.
	Training in endoscopy (bowel scoping) is vital to the diagnosis of bowel cancer. To prepare for the bowel cancer screening programme, we have built on the training established as part of the NHS Cancer Plan. A national training programme has been established, with three national and seven regional centres, to train medical staff, general practitioners, nurses and other health professionals to carry out vital procedures for diagnosing bowel cancer. By increasing the pool of staff able to undertake endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures, waiting times will be reduced and services made more convenient.
	Based on current trends and definitions the training programme is projected to deliver 217 newly trained non-medical endoscopists and 1,353 medical endoscopists by 2006–07.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) produced updated guidance, Improving Outcomes in Colorectal Cancers" (May 2004). This guidance is aimed at helping those involved in planning, commissioning, organising and providing bowel cancer services to ensure that services are configured to ensure appropriate high quality services. Implementation of NICE guidance is a developmental standard as set out in National Standards Local Action (July 2004). The Healthcare Commission is responsible for assessing progress of healthcare organisations towards achieving developmental standards.

Breast Cancer

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress being made on (a) achieving the Government's commitment for all people with breast problems to be seen by a specialist within two weeks and (b) making HER2 testing available for all women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 January 2006
	The Department has assessed the need for additional staff required to meet the commitment and we have commissioned skills for health, which is the Sector Skills Council for Health, to develop competencies in breast assessment. Once these competencies are agreed they could be used to develop training programmes to increase the number of breast assessment staff. Skills for health are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in the development and piloting of the competencies including charities, Royal colleges, professional groups and national health service organisations.
	It is very important that we identify those patients who are HER2 positive so that all the appropriate treatment options can be considered for them. Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer director, is working with Cancer Networks to ensure that facilities are put in place to enable women who need it to be tested. This work is ongoing.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 17WS, on national health service dentistry, how many new dentists each primary care trust will be receiving.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 28 November 2005
	Information on the number of dentists recruited to each primary care trust at the 31 October 2005 has been placed in the Library.
	The total has increased slightly from 1,453 to 1,459, reflecting the fact that the data includes dentists recruited via local buy back at the end of October 2005. The published figure included dentists recruited at the end of September 2005 as October data had not been received at the time of the announcement.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether primary care trusts will be able to commission dental services from providers not operating under general dental services contracts and personal dental services agreements from April 2006.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) must use their powers under section 16CA of the National Health Service Act 1977 to provide or secure the provision of primary dental services within their area to meet all reasonable requirements. Primary dental services may only be provided under a general dental services contract, a personal dental services agreement or by the PCT itself under section 16CA(2) of the 1977 Act.

Dentistry

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1704–05, on dentistry, if she will make it her policy to ensure that private dentists may be sued for medical negligence on the same terms as NHS dentists.

Rosie Winterton: Private dentists may be sued on the same basis as national health service general dental practitioners. In July 2005, an Order amending the Dentists Act was made to empower the General Dental Council to make it a condition of registration that every dentist, whether practising privately or in the NHS, has adequate and appropriate indemnity cover. This provision will come into force in the summer, once the General Dental Council has made rules on the detail of this requirement.

Dentistry

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources her Department has allocated for NHS dentistry in 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: Most primary dental care services are provided within the general dental service (CDS), which is currently a demand led service where expenditure is mainly determined by the activity of dentists rather than set by a fixed budget allocation. Net expenditure on the GDS in England in 2004–05 amounted to £1,246 million.
	In 2004–05 the Department made an additional £262 million pounds available to primary care trusts (PCTs) to support the net cost (after taking account of dental charge income from patients) of personal dental service pilots. In addition, the Department distributed a total of £24 million revenue funds to help PCTs with particular dental access difficulties support local access and quality initiatives, and £35 million was distributed amongst all PCTs to fund capital grants to dental practices to improve access and practice facilities.
	Funding levels for hospital and community dental services are set locally by PCTs and resourced from their general national health service budget allocations.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in her Department have been relocated into London and the South East in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department. Details on staff moving to London and the South East is held locally on individual personnel files. The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	Any relocation into London and the South East during 2004–05 and 2005–06 to date would have been agreed as an exception to the Government's relocation policy.

Influenza Pandemic

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she plans to incentivise general practitioners to provide extra capacity in primary care in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The Department published the revised UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" in October. The plan provides guidance for health professionals and the public in preparing for a future pandemic. Operational guidance to the national health service was issued in May which encourages them to work closely with local stakeholders in all sectors to ensure robust local plans are put in place, regularly tested and updated.
	As part of their statutory duties, primary care trusts (PCTs) should ensure arrangements are in place for the provision of primary care services in the event of influenza pandemic. Local capacity planning should include arrangements with all primary medical care contractors including general medical services, personal medical services, PCT-led medical services and alternative provider medical services. In order to meet the likely volume of work during a pandemic, PCTs should discuss with their general practitionerss the non-essential work that can be put on hold. Specific arrangements will also be needed with their out of hours providers.

Medical Provision (Aylesbury Vale)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether there is a need for a new community hospital in Aylesbury Vale as a result of housing expansion in the area.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State has made no assessment.
	Responsibility for the provision of local services rests with local national health service organisations working in conjunction with other key stakeholders. The organisation responsible for managing planning and implementation in this part of the Milton Keynes south midland sub-region growth area is Aylesbury Vale Advantage, which is a company limited by guarantee, consisting of five key partners including Vale of Aylesbury Primary Care Trust.

Mental Health

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has a preventative strategy on mental health; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Preventative mental health strategies are set out in the 1999 national service framework (NSF) for mental health, standard one, which is dedicated to promoting mental health for all, working with individuals and communities and to combating discrimination against individuals and groups with mental health problems and promoting their social inclusion. Local national health service bodies are expected to implement standard one in their localities.
	The NSF should be seen in conjunction with the commitments made in the White Paper Choosing Health" to fully implement standard one nationally.
	In addition, the joint publication by the Care Services Improvement Partnership/National Institute for Mental Health in England, Making it Possible: Improving Mental Health and Well-being in England", sets out good practice in relation to developing and delivering improved mental health well-being. This contributes to the United Kingdom commitment to developing a country-wide action plan on mental health, in line with the World Health Organisation's declaration on mental health which I signed in January 2005.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Department for Constitutional Affairs regarding the transfer of responsibility for mental health tribunals from her Department to the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Rosie Winterton: In line with the White Paper, Transforming Public Services: Complaints Redress and Tribunals", the mental health review tribunals will transfer to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, where they will form part of the Tribunals Service. Following discussions between our Departments, we have agreed that the transfer will take place with effect from April of this year.

Mental Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in her Department's discussions with SANE on Government funding for SANELINE.

Rosie Winterton: Discussions with SANE are continuing. SANE, like other voluntary and community sector organisations, can apply for Government funding for work they wish to undertake.

NHS Finance

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her latest estimate is of the budget over-spending at (a) University College Hospital, (b) the Royal Free Hospital and (c) Whittington Hospital.

Jane Kennedy: The forecast outturn position for 2005–06, as submitted by National Health Service organisations (strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts) at the mid-year point (month six), is available in the Library and is also available on the Department's Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en.
	The Department does not hold this data for University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
	University College London Hospital is an NHS foundation trust. As such, my noble Friend Lord Warner has written to the chair of the trust, Peter Dixon, informing him of my hon. Friend's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a letter will be placed in the Library.

Policy Reviews

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list policy reviews her Department has conducted in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The Department maintains all of its key policies under review. Material on the key policy areas for which the Department is responsible is available on our website at: www.dh.gov.uk.

Private Finance Initiative

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her latest estimate is of the cost of implementing the Bristol health services plan; whether the financing of the plan will be made through the private finance initiative; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 January 2006
	The Bristol health services plan affects the two major capital investment projects being taken forward for Bristol—the United Bristol Healthcare (UBH) and the North Bristol National Health Service Trust/South Gloucestershire primary care trust schemes. Both schemes are currently revising the funding and service options in their outline business case. The latest capital cost of the former is approximately £100 million and, of the latter, £420 million.

Private Finance Initiative

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a decision to make progress on the private finance initiative scheme for a new hospital for Plymouth will be taken by her Department.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 23 January 2006
	The outline business case (OBC) for a new £200 million diagnostic and care centre for Plymouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust has been approved by South West Peninsula strategic health authority and has now been submitted to the Department for approval. The proposal for the emergency and specialist services centre is at a much earlier stage; the trust is currently developing options for the OBC.

Sexually-transmitted Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many cases of (a) HIV, (b) chlamydia, (c) gonorrhoea, (d) syphilis, (e) genital warts and (f) genital herpes there have been in England in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital warts and genital herpes diagnosed in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England from 1997 to 2004, are shown in the table. The number of HIV diagnoses in England from 1997 to 2004 are also shown, and include diagnoses made in GUM clinics as well as other settings such as infectious disease units and general practice.
	
		Diagnoses of HIV and other selected sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England between 1997–2004
		
			 Condition description 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 HIV 2,533 2,635 2,902 3,646 4,801 5,883 6,827 6,789 
			 Primary and secondary syphilis 147 131 211 322 717 1,196 1,531 2,008 
			 Uncomplicated gonorrhoea 12,399 12,535 15,549 20,494 22,398 24,357 23,497 20,919 
			 Uncomplicated chlamydia 38,839 43,912 50,960 61,370 68,180 78,117 85,397 92,799 
			 Genital herpes 15,079 15,815 15,880 16,147 17,054 17,510 17,120 16,953 
			 Genital warts 58,711 59,681 61,157 60,661 62,423 63,934 65,194 68,155 
		
	
	Source:
	Reports of HIV diagnoses and KC60 returns (other STIs)

Waiting Times

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been waiting longer than six months for a non-urgent ear, nose and throat appointment in the West Hertfordshire NHS trust; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There were no patients waiting longer than 17 weeks for an outpatient appointment at West Hertfordshire hospitals national health service trust at September 2005. This is the latest data available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Agricultural Tariffs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU on (a) all imports from the rest of the world, (b) agricultural imports from the rest of the world and (c) non-agricultural imports from the rest of the world are in (i) most favoured nation terms and (ii)effectively applied terms;
	(2)  what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU are on (a) imports, (b) agricultural imports and (c) non-agricultural imports from each country listed in the World Trade Organisation and world integrated trade solution database in (i) most favoured nation terms and (ii) effectively applied terms.

Ian Pearson: The calculation of weighted average tariffs requires detailed trade data at a highly disaggregated level and requires that trade data be classified according to the tariff rate at which each trade transaction takes place, i.e. it is possible for imports of a specific good to the EU from a single country to take place at more than one effectively applied tariff. Although the world integrated trade solutions database contains information on trade and tariffs, and reports weighted averages for EU trade with other countries, given the gaps and uncertainty in the data sets we are reluctant to report weighted average data as the answer may be misleading or inaccurate.
	The World Trade Organisation does provide data on the simple average most- favoured nation tariffs, i.e.those that prevail when no preferential arrangements exist, applied by the EU. These are:
	(a) 4.2 per cent. on all imports;
	(b) 5.9 per cent. on imports of agricultural goods;
	(c) 4.0 per cent. on imports of non-agricultural goods.

Agricultural Tariffs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU on non-agricultural imports from each country listed in the World Trade Organisation and world integrated trade solution database will be if the EU's current WTO offer is accepted in (a) most favoured nation terms and (b) effectively applied terms.

Ian Pearson: The calculation of weighted average tariffs requires detailed trade data at a highly disaggregated level and requires that trade data be classified according to the tariff rate at which each trade transaction takes place, i.e. it is possible for imports of a specific good to the EU from a single country to take place at more than one effectively applied tariff. Although the world integrated trade solutions database contains information on trade and tariffs, and reports weighted averages for EU trade with other countries, given the gaps and uncertainty in the data sets we are reluctant to report weighted average data as the answer may be misleading or inaccurate.
	Before the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong the EU put forward a conditional proposal that included a reduction of non-agricultural tariffs through a simple Swiss formula with a co-efficient of 10 (i.e. a maximum resulting tariff of 10 per cent.). This was overtaken by negotiations in Hong Kong and the resulting ministerial declaration which adopted a Swiss formula with coefficients at different levels but did not agree those levels.
	The effect of the conditional proposal would have been to reduce the simple average tariff applied by the EU in most favoured nation terms on non-agricultural imports from 4.2 per cent. to 2.5 per cent.
	This simple average most favoured nation tariff would be the same for all WTO members.

Annual Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what average number of days annual leave was given to employees by each main business and industrial sector in 2004–05.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the average holiday entitlement of full-time permanent employees by industry in the UK in autumn 2005. These data take no account of public holiday entitlement. These figures are from the Labour Force Survey from the Office for National Statistics.
	
		Average length of paid holiday entitlement(40) for full-time permanent employees by industry2, United Kingdom; autumn 2005, not seasonally adjusted
		
			  Days 
		
		
			 Public admin, education and health 32 
			 Energy and water 26 
			 Transport and communication 25 
			 Other services 24 
			 Banking, finance and insurance 24 
			 Manufacturing 24 
			 Construction 23 
			 Distribution, hotels and restaurants 23 
			 Agriculture and fishing 22 
			 UK average 26 
		
	
	(40)Takes no account of public holiday entitlement. Excludes those who did not give their holiday entitlement and those who were non-contactable in the autumn quarter.
	(41)Industry groups are coding according to the 1992 Standard Industrial Classification.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey

Career Development (Women)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the achievements of (a) female entrepreneurs and (b) female-owned businesses.

Meg Munn: holding answer 23 January 2006
	The Government recognises the significant achievements of female entrepreneurs to the UK economy. Female entrepreneurs and female-owned businesses make a significant contribution to UK economy adding up £70billion to gross value added.
	That's why the Government views the development of women's enterprise in the UK as an economic imperative. The Government are continuing the development of the economic argument for Women's Enterprise following the publication, in March 2005, of the booklet, Promoting Female Entrepreneurship", which captures headline facts and has been used to stimulate thinking across Government and the regional development agencies.
	There are encouraging signs that entrepreneurial activity amongst women is increasing. Nearly one million women are self employed in the UK and this number has increased by around 10 per cent. over the last four years. 19 per cent. of UK businesses are now majority-owned by women.
	Women are seizing the opportunities to turn their good ideas into great businesses. Women such as Manjit Sahota whose business, the Rocking Horse Kindergarten based in the Holbrooks area of Coventry, provides a supportive and stimulating learning environment for pre-school children. This business provides employment for fourteen members of staff. That's good news for the local and national economy.

Coal Aid Scheme

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Scottish Coal received from the coal aid scheme in each month of 2001; and whether any of this assistance was ring-fenced for redundancy assistance.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 21 November 2006
	I apologise for not replying to this question when it was first tabled.
	Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Ltd. operated Longannet mine as a subsidiary company of Mining (Scotland) Ltd. Mining (Scotland) Ltd. received payments under the UK coal operating aid scheme (UKCOAS) of £19.65 million for Tranche 1 (2000) and £21.53 million for Tranche 2 (2001) to support Longannet. The aim of UKCOAS was to support mines badly affected by short term market problems by helping to bridge the gap between their production costs and income from coal sold for generating and other industrial uses. None of the payments made to Mining (Scotland) Ltd. was ring-fenced for redundancy assistance.

Company Rankings

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 companies with a presence in the UK have the highest (a) number of employees and (b) annual turnover.

Alun Michael: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Dentistry

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential impact on NHS and private dentistry of the General Dental Council's decision of 7 December to prevent public access to dental care professionals without referral by dentists; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	The General Dental Council's (GDC) decision on 7 December signalled an important first step in removing unnecessary restrictions on the business of dentistry. Under recently conferred powers, the GDC has agreed that appropriately qualified clinical dental technicians, who are also known as denturists and whose practice is currently prohibited by law, should be allowed to see edentulous patients, without prior review by a dentist, for the purpose of supplying and maintaining complete dentures.
	There will also be wider scope for treatments by other dental care professionals such as dental hygienists and dental therapists. The GDC has agreed that a dentist should carry out a full mouth assessment and provide a treatment plan, which specifies the intervals at which the patient should attend for further examination or treatment. Pending the re-assessment, the patient could take the treatment plan to any appropriately registered dental professional who could, within the overall limits of the plan and the limits of his or her competence, treat the patient.
	The GDC has made it clear that it would welcome proposals to expand the curricula of dental care professionals to enable increased direct access by patients to dental care professionals, where there is robust training to ensure that patient safety is protected.
	The Department shares the GDC's view that this represents the right balance between improving flexibility and patient choice and protecting patients.

Energy Review

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that the energy review takes into account the work of the interdepartmental task force established by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to look at energy use in existing buildings.

Malcolm Wicks: The work of the task force on the sustainability of existing buildings, to identify suitable measures to improve the energy efficiency and reduce emissions from existing building stock, is clearly an important one. As stated clearly in our consultation document: Our Energy Challenge. Securing clean, affordable energy for the long term", the energy review will take into account the work of the task force.

Energy Supply

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2252W, on energy, what assessment has been made of the international supply of gas in relation to the anticipated demand for gas; and how many years of supply can be provided from the existing resources of gas in the world.

Malcolm Wicks: The department does not estimate world gas reserves and supplies, or future world gas demand. However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has estimated that there are currently 180 trillion cubic metres of proven gas reserves. At current production rates, the IEA estimates that these would last for 66 years; based on its expectation that production rates will increase at 2.3 per cent. per year, these reserves could then last some 40 years (source—World Energy Outlook 2004", www.iea.org.

Energy Supply

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to assess the percentage of electricity supplies produced by gas, coal and nuclear energy in light of the anticipated shortage of gas supplies in the future.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department already reports monthly, via statistics published on its web site, on the electricity supplied by fuel by major power producers, and quarterly in Energy Trends" on electricity supplied by fuel by all electricity generators http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/inform/index.shtml). Copies of Energy Trends" are available in the Libraries of the House.

Energy Supply

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of total UK piped gas imports he estimates will pass through each interceptor in (a) 2010, (b) 2015 and (c) 2020.

Malcolm Wicks: The current UK gas market arrangements are already delivering a number of gas pipeline import projects. By 2010, under current plans, the Belgium-UK Interconnector will have a total import capacity of 66 million cubic metres per day (mcm/d); the new Balgzand-Bacton pipeline (BBL) from the Netherlands of 44mcm/d; and the Langeled pipeline from Norway of up to 70mcm/d. Projections at and beyond this date are highly uncertain as key infrastructure investment decisions have yet to be made. The proportion of future gas imports to the UK made via these pipelines, and any plans to construct further pipeline connections, will be commercial matters for market participants.

Energy Supply

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of total gas for the UK he expects will be imported in (a) 2010, (b) 2015 and (c) 2020; and what proportion of this he expects will be (i) piped and (ii) imported by ship.

Malcolm Wicks: Details of new import infrastructure can be found in my right hon. Friend's First Report to Parliament on Security of Energy Supplies" (http://www.dti.gov.uk/engegy.publications/policy/sec_supply_ first_report.pdf), which shows forecast supply and demand to 2013. Projections beyond this date are highly uncertain as key infrastructure investment decisions have yet to be made. In addition to the projects listed in the report, new liquefied natural has (LNG) projects at Canvey Island and Teesside have recently been announced. Independent studies have suggested that imports may account for around 75 percent. of total gas supply to the UK by 2015–16 and 90 percent. by 2020–21. The proportion of future gas imports to the UK from pipes and ships, and any plans to construct further infrastructure, will be commercial matters for market participants.

Engagements (Nuclear Industry)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials have had with representatives of the nuclear industry over the last four months; and what the (i) date and (ii) attendance was of each meeting.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has many meetings with the nuclear industry and with other interested groups, such as oil, gas, coal, renewables and microgeneration industries.
	Due to the number of meetings that take place, the effort required to compile a full list of meetings involving Ministers and officials would result in disproportionate cost to provide a comprehensive answer.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) had with (a) BAE, (b) Rolls Royce and (c) Airbus regarding the ECGD consultation on the changes to the ECGD's anti-bribery and corruption procedures that were introduced in December 2004.

Ian Pearson: ECGD has not had discussions with the three companies named regarding the ECGD Consultation on the changes to its anti-bribery and corruption procedures introduced in December 2004, although employees of two of the companies named have represented the CBI at discussions which ECGD has had with the CBI. See, for example, the meeting of 9 June 2005, minutes of which are available on ECGD's website at: www.ecgd.gov.uk/mdex/pi_home/pi_pc/abc_int_resp.htm

Exports

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value of British exports to (a) the Eurozone area, (b) the pre-enlargement 15 EU member states and (c) the post-enlargement 25 EU member states was in each quarter since 1997.

Ian Pearson: Data is not available for all the quarters requested. Those quarters for which data has been published are shown in the following table.
	
		UK exports of goods and services to European countries -- £ million
		
			  EMU12 EU15 EU25 
		
		
			 1997 Q1 — 29,281 — 
			 1997 Q2 — 29,333 — 
			 1997 Q3 — 29,490 — 
			 1997 Q4 — 30,246 — 
			 1998 Q1 — 30,106 — 
			 1998 Q2 — 30,410 — 
			 1998 Q3 — 30,249 — 
			 1998 Q4 — 30,201 — 
			 1999 Q1 28,078 30,270 31,335 
			 1999 Q2 28,535 30,703 31,781 
			 1999 Q3 30,229 32,394 33,496 
			 1999 Q4 30,573 32,708 33,919 
			 2000 Q1 30,996 33,365 34,547 
			 2000 Q2 31,986 34,341 35,491 
			 2000 Q3 32,908 35,351 36,598 
			 2000 Q4 34,055 36,400 37,893 
			 2001 Q1 33,807 36,286 37,843 
			 2001 Q2 34,000 36,449 37,781 
			 2001 Q3 33,309 35,654 36,988 
			 2001 Q4 32,245 34,492 35,946 
			 2002 Q1 33,517 35,298 37,233 
			 2002 Q2 35,240 37,446 39,233 
			 2002 Q3 33,542 35,769 37,539 
			 2002 Q4 32,130 35,066 35,822 
			 2003 Q1 33,833 35,442 37,661 
			 2003 Q2 32,423 34,302 36,184 
			 2003 Q3 32,631 34,430 36,532 
			 2003 Q4 34,069 35,565 38,210 
			 2004 Q1 32,398 32,635 36,343 
			 2004 Q2 33,683 — 37,844 
			 2004 Q3 34,355 — 38,497 
			 2004 Q4 35,530 — 39,751 
			 2005 Q1 34,957 — 39,230 
			 2005 Q2 34,989 — 39,344 
			 2005 Q3 35,694 — 40,057 
		
	
	Notes:
	Balance of payments basis.
	If the data for the EU15 had continued to be published, it is likely that the final figures shown here would have been revised, probably slightly upwards.

Fairtrade

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria are used to determine whether a product can be classified as fairtrade, with particular reference to how much of the profit must go to the farmer.

Ian Pearson: For a product to be labelled Fairtrade, producers and traders must meet standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). Producer Standards comprise the organisational, social and environmental criteria that must be met for them to be certified as a Fairtrade producer. Smallholder cooperatives or other organisations must be instruments for the social and economic development of the members, who must receive the benefits of Fairtrade. For workers on plantations and in processing factories, their employers must pay decent wages, guarantee them the right to join a trade union, and provide good housing, where relevant. Minimum health and safety as well as environmental standards must be complied with, and no child or forced labour can occur.
	The price paid to producers is not determined as a percentage of profit, but Fairtrade criteria establish a minimum guaranteed price that covers the cost of production and ensures a living wage for growers. In addition to the purchase price paid by importers, a separate payment is designated for social and economic development in the producing communities. The farmers and growers themselves decide how these funds are to be spent, while being encouraged to invest in further sustainable development.

Fairtrade

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the merits of encouraging companies selling food produced in the developing world to publish on the packaging what proportion of the sale price is paid to the farmers.

Ian Pearson: The Government believe that the most effective way to develop fair and ethical trade labelling schemes is to ensure that they are voluntary and business led as they are likely to be more flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances. Government should provide an enabling rather than a prescriptive framework. There are already a number of successful voluntary labelling initiatives, which have been those developed by business, sometimes in partnership with civil society. For example, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, put together in partnership with NGOs and full industry backing, fills a communication gap and delivers environmental improvements.
	With regard to pricing, Fairtrade criteria establish a minimum guaranteed price that covers the cost of production and ensures a living wage for growers. In addition to the purchase price paid by importers, a separate payment is made which is designated for social and economic development in the producing communities. The farmers and growers themselves decide how these funds are to be spent.

Gas Prices

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2253W, on gas prices, what response the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry have had to the letters which they sent to Commissioner Kroes about supplies of gas; when the letters were sent; and if he will publish the correspondence.

Malcolm Wicks: We expect the Commission to respond in mid-February to the letter sent by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State on 5 December. The Commission are currently carrying out the investigation we requested and have already sought information from various parties.
	So long as I am not prevented by confidentiality, I will write to you with a copy of the correspondence when we receive the Commission's reply and will also the place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

Green Ministers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in relation to the environment and sustainable development.

Malcolm Wicks: As part of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy 'Securing the Future' I oversaw and provided the Foreword to my Department's Sustainable Development Action Plan, showing how the DTI is taking forward its commitments under the strategy.
	The Department is continuing to rationalise its main London HQ estate, reducing the space we occupy by about 30 per cent. by April 2006 compared to the position two years ago with corresponding reductions in all the building related environmental impacts.
	I have announced an Energy Review which will be looking at securing clean, affordable energy for the long-term.
	I have met representatives of a number of non-governmental organisations promoting policies for a better environment, including the Green Alliance.
	I have set out the Government's position on climate change and sustainable energy at a number of events looking at these issues, including the British Wind Energy Association Annual Conference and the Cleaner Safer Greener conference in Croydon in October, and the Renewable Energy in Europe conference in Brussels in November.
	I chaired a meeting of the EU Energy Council in December, which published Council Conclusions on climate change and sustainable energy.
	I have appointed seven new members to the Renewables Advisory Board which provides advice to Government on a wide range of renewable energy issues.
	I initiated a review on the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (known as WEEE) which requires producers to pay for treatment and recycling or recovery of all WEEE products.
	As Minister for Corporate Social Responsibility, I was also involved in and spoke at the UK Presidency Corporate Social Responsibility Conference which took place on 1 and 2 December.

India

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the balance of trade between India and the United Kingdom was in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: Information on the UK's balance of trade in goods and services with India are given in the following table.
	
		UK balance of trade in goods and services with India 2000–04
		
			  £ million, current prices 
		
		
			 2000 293 
			 2001 -178 
			 2002 -224 
			 2003 110 
			 2004 -242 
		
	
	Source:
	United Kingdom balance of payments, The Pink Book, 2005

India

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Indian companies set up (a) a subsidiary company, (b) a branch office and (c) an other presence in the UK in 2004–05.

Alun Michael: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many identical miners' claims have been submitted by two firms of solicitors where one of the two firms is (a) Beresfords, (b) Wake Smith, (c) Moss, (d) AMS Law, (e) BRM and (f) Vendside.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of claims submitted by two firms where one is one of those listed is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Beresfords 3,413 
			 (b) Wake Smith 195 
			 (c) Moss 216 
			 (d) AMS Law 439 
			 (e) BRM 341 
			 (f) Vendside/UDM 342 
		
	
	If a claim has been submitted by two of the above, it will appear in the figures for both solicitors. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many solicitors have had claims for miners' compensation suspended because an identical claim has been submitted by a second firm ofsolicitors.

Malcolm Wicks: 295 different solicitors have had claims suspended as a result of duplicate claims having been registered. Some of these claims will have been investigated and progressed. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners' claims in (a) Bassetlaw and (b) the UK have been temporarily suspended because they have been submitted by two separate firms of solicitors.

Malcolm Wicks: There are 160 duplicate claims temporarily suspended in Bassetlaw and 14,852 in the UK as a whole. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when issues relating to miners' compensation were last raised by his Department with (a) the National Audit Office, (b) the Treasury and (c) the Legal Services ombudsman.

Malcolm Wicks: The National Audit Office regularly review aspects of the schemes as part of their audit of the Department's accounts. Twice each year, we submit our forecast of expenditure to the Treasury. This was last carried out in December 2005. We are not aware of any discussions with the Legal Services ombudsman.

Mobile Telecommunications (London)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the capacity of mobile telecommunications in London since the difficulties experienced with the network on 7July 2005.

Alun Michael: The Government have reviewed with industry the performance of the telecommunications sector and provision of services on 7 July 2005. This shows that there was no failure of the mobile networks but the level of demand was significantly greater than usual and exceeded the extra margin of capacity—about 20 percent. above the average daily peak—that is built into the networks for unseen demand. Consequently, service was either restricted or not available for some customers at periods during the day. The congestion was managed by the operators through the application of network calming measures such as call gapping", which restricted access from the fixed networks onto the mobile networks—but does not affect 999 services—and by squeezing more calls within the available capacity by reducing the quality of voice calls. Restricting customers to text messages only at such times to ease congestion, as has been suggested, is not possible because voice and text services use separately allocated network channels that are not interchangeable.
	The measures taken by the operators, together with their advice to customers to keep calls short, succeeded in ensuring there was no collapse of the networks. This enabled a swift return to normal services when the congestion eased.

Nuclear Power (Wales)

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry how much the Government have spent on the running costs of nuclear power plants in Wales in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: BNFL's records show that running costs of its nuclear power plants in Wales to 31 March 2005 are as follows.
	
		£ million
		
			  Trawsfynydd Wylfa 
		
		
			 1997 15.3 88.7 
			 1998 14.2 85.8 
			 1999 11.7 89.6 
			 2000 18.6 95.6 
			 2001 18.9 96.8 
			 2002 22.5 89.7 
			 2003 29.8 81.8 
			 2004 34.9 98.3 
			 2005 44.3 92.1

Parliamentary Questions

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will provide a substantive answer to question 38362.

Malcolm Wicks: I am sorry for the delay in replying to the hon. Member's question. I expect to reply very shortly.

Post Office Closures

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have been closed in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale and (b) Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Renewable Energy

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants have been made by his Department to facilitate the development of (a) wind power and (b) other forms of renewable energy in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to my replies of 25 October 2005, Official Report, columns 296–302W, to the hon. Members for Lewes (Norman Baker) and North Norfolk (Norman Lamb).

Renewable Energy

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to promote renewable forms of energy; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government's main mechanism for supporting new renewable generating capacity is the renewables obligation (RO). Introduced in April 2002, the RO requires electricity suppliers to source an increasing proportion of their electricity sales from RO eligible sources of renewable energy.
	The renewables obligation is also supported with around £500 million of Government investment, between 2002 and 2008, in capital grants and research and development into renewables and other low carbon technologies.

SITPRO

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many hits there were on the SITPRO website in each of the last five years; and how many companies have been assisted by SITPRO in this period.

Ian Pearson: The total hits on the SITPRO website in each of the last five years were as follows:
	
		
			  Number of hits 
		
		
			 2001 (42)423,271 
			 2002 923,465 
			 2003 1,584,498 
			 2004 2,963,879 
			 2005 3,475,254 
		
	
	(42)Records cover July-December only
	It is not possible to estimate accurately how many companies SITPRO has assisted over this period. Since 2004, after SITPRO's helpdesk was relaunched, it has handled over 1,000 inquires a year, mostly from small traders enquiring about import and export documents and procedures on which it is uniquely placed to assist. SITPRO helps many other small and medium sized companies through seminars and workshops. It also engages with companies of all sizes through its policy groups and other stakeholder fora to influence developments in customs and other border regulation, both domestic and international, to promote trade facilitation principles and standards.

SITPRO

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the level of co-ordination between SITPRO, UK Trade and Investment and the regional development offices in promoting international investment; how many times these organisations met each other in the last five years; how best practice is shared between these organisations; how potential conflicts of interest between the organisations are resolved; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: SITPRO, UK Trade and Investment and the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have distinct roles. SITPRO is the world's leading trade facilitation agency and its expertise lies in the simplification of documents and procedures, e.g. customs, for clearing goods at the border. UKTI's role is to support UK businesses undertaking international trade and in attracting inward investment to the UK. The RDAs work closely with UKTI on both inward investment and trade development activity at regional level. UKTI promotes the whole of the UK as a location for inward investment, working in partnership with the English RDAs and the Development Agencies (DAs) of the Devolved Administrations. In addition to working with UKTI to attract, retain and add value to inward investment, staff in all these agencies have actively participated in the Committee on Overseas Promotion (COP), which brings together inward investment practitioners from throughout the UK to discuss strategic and operational issues, as well as share best practice. In addition to the regular meetings of COP and its sub-groups, there is regular contact with the RDAs and DAs on a daily basis concerning individual investor inquiries.
	SITPRO complements the international trade work of UKTI by providing technical advice to traders on customs formalities. It also influences customs and other border agency policy and regulation with a view to making trade procedures simpler. SITPRO and UKTI meet at least three times a year. UKTI is the largest source of inquiries referred to SITPRO's helpdesk, reflecting the close co-ordination they have on policy and operational issues affecting the UK international trading community and demonstrating full awareness of the unique way the two organisations work together.

Small Business Research Initiative

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation he has made of small business innovation research programmes in other countries; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The UK's small business research initiative (SBRI) was modelled on the US Government's small business innovation research (SBIR) programme, which remains the most relevant international benchmark for SBRI.
	Both the UK and US programmes aim to raise productivity and business innovation by providing research and development contract revenues to technology-based small firms, helping them to commercialise their intellectual property and supplying Government bodies with R&D services.
	The Chancellor mandated Departments to take part in SBRI in his Budget on 16 March 2005. Until then participation had been voluntary. We aim to publish the voluntary phase performance figures for 2003–04 and 2004–05 under SBRI shortly.
	Since its inception in 1982, the US programme has been subject to periodic evaluations by the US general accounting office and the UK Government keeps a careful eye on these. The reports to date have largely affirmed that SBIR is meeting its twin goals of furthering the economic development of technology-based small firms and delivering quality valuable R&D outputs to federal agencies.

Spent Nuclear Fuel

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much imported spent nuclear fuel is stored in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I am advised by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that around 750 tonnes of overseas spent fuel is currently stored at facilities in the UK, with the majority being stored at Sellafield.
	Since 1976, all contracts for reprocessing of overseas spent fuel in the UK contain a clause stating that the materials, including waste, resulting from the reprocessing will be returned to the country of origin.

Telephone Preference Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints of alleged breaches of Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 were received by the (a) Information Commissioner, (b) Direct Marketing Association and (c) Telephone Preference Services Ltd. in each quarter of the last three years.

Alun Michael: I am advised by the Information Commissioner that direct complaints received and dealt with about alleged breaches of Regulation 21 (unsolicited direct marketing calls) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 were as follows:
	
		
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Q1 28 336 
			 Q2 44 397 
			 Q3 213 184 
			 Q4 308 96 
		
	
	Figures before 2004 are not available due to the casework management system previously operated by the ICO.
	The Telephone Preference Service Ltd. (TPSL) is a subsidiary company of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and runs the Telephone Preference Service under contract from Ofcom, the Communications regulator. Complaints to the DMA are forwarded to TPSL—the DMA does not keep its own figures.
	I am advised by TPSL that complaints received were as follows:
	
		
			  2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Q1 1,953 4,456 8,613 
			 Q2 1,143 3,776 9,154 
			 Q3 1,925 5,354 5,561 
			 Q4 1,944 7,008 4,889 
		
	
	If a customer's telephone number has been registered with the Telephone Preference Service for at least 28 days and the customer's is still receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls, he or she can complain to TPSL. TPSL will contact the organisation concerned with a view to stopping such calls and include the complaint in the regular report it sends to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner does not investigate individual complaints received by TPSL but does use the information provided to monitor trends of complaints and potential multiple breaches. Where appropriate, the Information Commissioner can use this information as further evidence in investigations into complaints.

Telephone Preference Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, columns 291–92W, on the Telephone Preference Service, how many companies were identified by complaints received in relation to alleged breaches of telephone call regulation; and how many companies received multiple complaints;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1487–88W, on the Telephone Preference Service, how many companies have received multiple warning letters for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003; and how many cases have been referred to the Regulatory Action Division for them to consider enforcement.

Alun Michael: I understand from the Information Commissioner that due to the nature of the casework management system used, they are unable to identify the number of different companies about which they received complaints in relation to an alleged breach of Regulation 21 (unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. The system similarly prevents them from identifying the number of companies about which multiple complaints were received. The Information Commissioner plans to develop this function in the casework management system in future.

THORP

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the THORP reprocessing plant.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government's position on the future of THORP was set out in the July 2002 White Paper Managing the Nuclear Legacy". The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) expects to complete their existing order book for reprocessing spent fuel at THORP by around 2010.
	The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) are progressing with further investigations which will result in a separate report on the THORP incident. The plant will only reopen if the NII approves a safety case but if the NII is satisfied that its safety requirements can be met, the NDA in conjunction with the plant operator, the British Nuclear Group, will decide as to when to restart the plant. This decision is expected within the next few months.

Union of Democratic Mineworkers/Vendside

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings took place between officials in his Department and the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside in each year since 1995.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of meetings each year between the Department and the UDM/Vendside is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 5 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 6 
			 2004 2 
			 2005 1 
		
	
	These were mainly operational meetings about the progress of the coal health schemes.

Wind Power

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2006, Official Report, column 791W, on wind power, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the growth of British manufacturing capability to provide for demand from wind power developers.

Alun Michael: The Department's 2010 Target Team has a number of ongoing business development workstreams, designed to encourage the growth of British manufacturing capability, to provide for demand from wind power developers.
	One such workstream includes co-ordinating activity with regional partners in order to raise awareness of the market among new and existing suppliers, and to identify companies capable of addressing the weaknesses identified in the supply gap analysis carried out in 2004. The next Meet the Buyer event will be held in May 2006.
	Other activities include three pilot programmes targeted at improving the quality, cost and delivery performance of UK suppliers to the renewables sector.

World Trade Organisation

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on his departmental website documents prepared by his Department for the trade negotiations meeting in Hong Kong; which departmental officials accompanied him to the meeting; what carbon offset measures were established to cover the Department's delegation; and if he will make a statement on (i) matters discussed and (ii)the outcome of the negotiations.

Ian Pearson: The Government have set out regularly its objectives for the Doha development agenda and the Sixth World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Hong Kong but does not intend to publish documents prepared by the Department in advanced of the conference, many of which contain sensitive information.
	Fifteen officials from the Department of Trade and Industry accompanied my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Minister for Trade.
	The DTI is committed to participate in the UK Government's scheme to offset carbon dioxide emissions from central Government air travel from April 2006.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Welfare

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of cruelty towards animals in (a) Coventry, South and (b) the West Midlands in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 23 January 2006
	Persons found guilty for various offences connected with animal cruelty are shown in the table for Coventry Petty Sessional Area and West Midlands police force area, 1997 to 2004. It is not possible to identify Coventry, South as data are not broken down to that level of detail.
	
		Number of offenders(43) found guilty for offences relating to animal cruelty in West Midlands police force area, 1997–2004
		
			  Statute 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 108.02 Protection of Animals Act, 1911 (as amended) 21 26 17 41 56 37 47 48 
			   
			 108.03 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 sec 8 — — — — 1 — — — 
			   
			 108.04 Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.06 Protection of Animals Act, 1934 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.08 Docking and Nicking of Horses Act, 1949 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.09 Pet Animals Act, 1951 — — 1 1 — — — 1 
			   
			 108.10 Cockfighting Act, 1952 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.11 Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act, 1954 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.12 Animal Health Act, 1981, secs 40–42, 46 and 49 and Orders made under secs 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43 3 5 4 1 — — — — 
			   
			 108.13 Slaughterhouses Act, 1974 — — 1 — — — — — 
			   
			 108.14 Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960, sec 1 2 1 — — — 1 — — 
			   
			 108.16 Animal and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations 1988 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.17 Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act, 1962 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.18 Animal Boarding Establishments Act, 1963 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.19 Riding Establishments Acts, 1964 and 1970 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.20 Slaughter of Poultry Act, 1967 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.21 Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968, secs 1, 2 and 6 1 — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.22 Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 (except sec 13) — — — 1 — — — — 
			   
			 108.23 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 sec 9 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.24 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 sec 11 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 108.25 Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 — — — — 1 1 — — 
			   
			 111.07, 111.08 Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 111.22, 111.23 Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 — — — — — — — — 
			   
			 110 Diseases of Animals Act — 4 — — — 1 2 — 
			   
			 190 (all) Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, secs 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 17 — — 4 3 8 5 1 — 
			   
			 Total  27 36 27 47 66 45 50 49 
		
	
	(43)Principal offence basis.
	Source:
	RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform
	Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.

Asylum Seekers

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers (a) became liable for removal in the last three years in which figures are available and (b) are signing with the UK Immigration Service (UKIS) as part of their reporting conditions; how many refused asylum seekers (i) are continuing to receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) because they have dependent minor children and (ii) are receiving section 4 support from NASS; and for how many UKIS has a verifiable address other than their last NASS accommodation.

Tony McNulty: Around 59,400 individuals, including dependants, were recorded as becoming failed asylum seekers (either did not appeal or appeal rights exhausted or clearly unfounded cases who meet the criteria for non-suspensive appeals) in 2004, 23 percent. lower that 2003 (77,200). Information for earlier years is not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
	Management information currently estimates that around 51,000 asylum applicants and failed asylum applicants report to immigration staff as a condition of temporary admission. Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by MASS with dependants under 18 who have no valid claim for asylum is not available and could only be produced at disproportionate costs by examination of individual case records. As at the end of September 2005, there were 7,630 people recorded as supported under section 4.
	Information on the number of refused asylum seekers that UKIS has a potentially verifiable address other than their last MASS accommodation is not available and could only be produced at disproportionate costs by examination of individual case records.

British Citizenship

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people living in Livingston constituency became British citizens in 2005.

Tony McNulty: Information on the basis requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information is available by local authority area and indicates that 70 people who lived in the West Lothian local authority area were granted British citizenship in 2005. This is based on provisional management information. It is not a national statistic and may be subject to change.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will reply to the letter of 18 July 2005 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on behalf of Abbas Adeli (Home Office Reference A1165607).

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate responded to the letter from my right hon. Friend on 24 January 2006.

Correspondence

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green's correspondence of 10 October 2005 regarding a constituent, Mr. Henry Compagnie-Coker (Home Office reference: C442214).

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate replied to the hon. Member's letter to the head of Member of Parliament correspondence section on 20 January.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 5 October 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. H. Akhtar.

Charles Clarke: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17 January 2006.

Crime Statistics

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) men and (b) women aged (i) under 25 years and (ii) 25 years or over arrested but not charged are subsequently convicted of a different crime; and what the conviction rate is for the general population in the same gender and age groups.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally. Nor is it possible to identify those defendants arrested but not charged who are subsequently convicted of a different crime as the data on the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is not collected at this level of detail.

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug treatment and testing orders were made by courts in England in each of the last three years; and how many were breached in each year.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 19 January 2006
	The number of drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs) made by courts in England; for which breach proceedings were instigated; which were revoked at a breach hearing for failure to comply with the order; and/or revoked on application following conviction for another offence in each of the last three years is shown in the following table. Data on the number of orders where breach proceedings were instigated but the order expired before the case was heard has only been collected since 2004–05 so is shown only for that year. Since April 2005, the DTTO has gradually been replaced by the community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR) for offenders aged 18 and over.
	
		
			  Number of DTTOs made Number of DTTOs for which breach proceedings were instigated Number of DTTOs revoked for failure to comply with the requirements of the order Number of DDTOs revoked following conviction for another offence Number of DTTOs which expired with breach proceedings outstanding 
		
		
			 2002–03 5,747 5,096 2,087 915 — 
			 2003–04 7,903 6,810 2,537 1,357 — 
			 2004–05 9,726 8,450 2,453 2,238 332

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the provision of drug treatment programmes to serving prisoners.

Fiona Mactaggart: Drug treatment goes wider than drug rehabilitation programmes alone. A comprehensive range of drug interventions is available for drug misusers in custody.
	These address low, moderate and severe drug dependency and comprise:
	Clinical services (detoxification and/or maintenance prescribing programmes), available in all local and remand prisons;
	CARATs (Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare services), available in all prisons;
	Drug Rehabilitation Programmes, 116 drug rehabilitation programmes, 40 of which are the Short Duration Programme, are running in 103 establishments ;with treatment being supported by a range of mandatory and voluntary drug testing programmes.

Engagements

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to visit India to discuss immigration issues.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary has no current plans to visit India. Officials maintain regular contact with their Indian counterparts on immigration issues and this involves some visits. Ivisited India to discuss immigration issues with the Delhi Government and the Punjab State Government in November 2005.

EU Accession State Workers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of workers in the United Kingdom from EU accession states, broken down by (a) occupation and (b) country of origin.

Tony McNulty: The Accession Monitoring Report for May 2004—September 2005 sets out the number of citizens from the Accession eight Countries of the EU (accession state nationals) who have applied to register with the Worker Registration Scheme during this period. This report is available on the Home Office website via:http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/reports/accession_monitoring.html

IRIS Project

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 597W, on the IRIS Project, when he will report the key findings to the House; and what elements of the pilot project will be commercially sensitive.

Tony McNulty: Pursuant to my answer of 30 November key findings will be reported to the House following evaluation of the pilot. Implementation is scheduled for completion by the end of summer 2006. The contractual elements of the pilot project are commercially sensitive.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) role and (b) functions are of regional offender managers.

Fiona Mactaggart: Details of the role and functions of Regional Offender Managers were contained in the information pack sent to all prospective candidates in the summer of 2004. A copy of the information pack has been placed in the House of Commons Library for Members to read.

National Offender Management Service

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest job descriptions are of each of the regional offender managers working for the National Offender Management Service.

Fiona Mactaggart: Job specifications and selection criteria for the post of regional offender manager were contained in the information pack sent to all prospective candidates in the summer of 2004. A copy of the information pack has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

National Offender Management Service

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to align public sector prison service areas to those of the regional offender managers.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 23 January 2006
	The ten regions overseen by the regional offender managers (ROMs) are co-terminous with the prison service areas, with the exception of the south-east where three prison service areas fall within the ROM's remit. There are no plans to change these boundaries.

National Offender Management Service

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the job description for regional offender managers will be published; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The job description for the post of Regional Offender Manager was contained in the information pack sent to all prospective candidates in the summer of 2004. A copy of the information pack has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

National Offender Management Service

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed by each regional offender manager.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 23 January 2006
	A full list of staff in post in each region, as of 10 January 2006, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 London 5 
			 South East 7 
			 Wales 7 
			 North East 6 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 6 
			 North West 5 
			 East Midlands 5 
			 West Midlands 6 
			 South West 8 
			 East of England 7

Offenders' Children

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research the Government has evaluated on the likelihood of children with parents serving a custodial sentence being at risk of serving a future custodial sentence themselves; and if he will make a statement on the Department's plans to support children assessed to be at higher risk of offending due to their family circumstances.

Fiona Mactaggart: There is no research which directly answers this question. However, there is a body of research evidence which shows that having parents who have been convicted is strongly predictive of their sons being convicted or cautioned (Maguire et al, 1997; Dodd and Hunter, 1992).
	The National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan, published on July 19, 2004, committed the Government to developing a cross-government approach to providing information, advice and support for offenders' children and families. £2.04 million has been secured by the Home Office from the Invest to Save Budget to pilot a regional approach over three years which will evidence a model for engagement and inform national roll-out in partnership with the Voluntary and Community Sector, DfES, DWP, the Learning and Skills Council and the Legal Services Commission. The Home Office works closely with a wide range of organisations, including the DfES, on preventing young people who are at risk as a result of a number of factors, including family circumstances, from involvement in offending and a range of negative outcomes. For example, the Youth Justice Board and Youth Offending Teams provide a number of targeted services for children and young people at high risk of offending. In addition, the Government's Every Child Matters reforms are an essential part of this work as they shift the focus of children's services towards early intervention and prevention. The DfES are supporting five organisations providing adult relationship and parenting skills support to prisoners' families.

Prison Service (Pay)

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in requiring the Prison Service Pay Review Body to consider local pay; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 23 January 2006
	Local pay additions are currently paid to staff at 28 sites to address local recruitment and retention difficulties. In October 2005, the Prison Service proposed to extend the scheme to five new sites, in its submission to the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSRB). The PSRB is due to make its recommendations in February.

Prisons

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned into strategies to raise the reading age of serving prisoners whose reading age is significantly below the national average for their age group.

Fiona Mactaggart: Calculation of age-related average reading scores is only feasible for children up to about the age of 16, and adults have neither individual reading ages nor average ones for separate age groups.
	However, a few studies have been conducted expressly on this topic. In 2005, the Home Office published findings based on a longitudinal evaluation of basic skills training for prisoners which indicated that the only significant predictor to improved literacy and numeracy was the amount of training received (over 30 hours). This can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/r260.pdfpercent5D The Home Office has also developed a new longitudinal study of prisoners that aims to explore how interventions, including education and employment programmes, might work in combination to address the range of prisoners' needs.
	The study, Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR), began in late 2005 and is of four years duration. It should greatly improve our knowledge about the nature of prisoners problems and needs on reception, how prison interventions are targeted, the extent of association between participation in interventions and post-release outcomes, as well as which prisoners benefit the most from interventions.

Prisons

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the drop-out rate for education courses undertaken by prisoners.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer January 2006
	Percentages for uncompleted education courses undertaken by prisoners are not collected centrally.

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers were employed by the Prison Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information on the number of officers employed in each of the last five years is contained in the table. The figures include prison officers, senior officers and principal officers as well as specialist prison officer grades. The figures represent a snapshot staffing level on the last date of each year.
	
		
			 As at 31 December each year: Total officer grades 
		
		
			 2005 24,562 
			 2004 24,355 
			 2003 23,912 
			 2002 23,327 
			 2001 23,182 
			 2000 24,046

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full-time and (b) full-time equivalent literacy and numeracy teachers have been employed by the Prison Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: Learning and skills for offenders in custody in England are delivered by contractors. These contract arrangements mean that the teachers engaged in delivering literacy and numeracy in English prisons are employed not by the Prison Service but by external providers, largely further education colleges under the current arrangements.
	Numbers of literacy and numeracy teachers employed by contractors are not collected centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. The Prison Service employs a total of 13.5 full-time equivalent literacy and numeracy teachers in its three establishments in Wales. Those arrangements have been in place since 1 September 2005. Prior to that, the Prison Service employed no literacy and numeracy teachers in England and Wales.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources are made available to assist inmates preparing for release in finding (a) work and (b) accommodation; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these resources; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: In purely financial terms, over £60 million is available as part of the PS Plus two programme, and an additional £14 million a year through the Prison Service Custody to Work Scheme. The Voluntary and Community Sector is also an important provider of these services and a leading partner in several large European Union funded programmes, such as Women into Work (SOVA) and PRISE (Rainer).
	There is also a significant amount of time invested in preparing prisoners for release by staff from both the Prison and Probation services, from other Government departments and by voluntary and private sector partners. Significant progress has been made in both areas: nearly all prisons now have housing advice workers drawn from a wide range of providers and Jobcentre Plus surgeries to provide job advice. In 2004–05 the proportion of recorded offenders released from prison without accommodation to go to fell by one third; and over 41,000 had an education, job or training place to go to on release.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the views of inmates in the organisation of prison education; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Department for Education and Skills, along with the Home Office and the Department of Work and Pensions, published on 15 December a Green Paper on offender learning: Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment". As part of the policy development for this document, officials invited a wide range of views, including those of organisations representing the rehabilitation and education of offenders.
	Officials, and the Minister for Skills, Phil Hope, visited prisons and probation areas, where they were able to speak directly to offenders and staff. Two discussion groups were also run with prisoners prior to publication, focusing in particular on changes that would improve education provision. Offenders will also be able to take part in the Green Paper consultation—further discussion groups will be run to facilitate this. In addition, prisoners can on a day to day basis make their views known on education matters through other means, such as talking directly to prison or probation staff including the head of learning and skills; and they may refer matters to the prisons and probation ombudsman.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the levels of overcrowding were for (a) each prison and (b) the whole Prison Estate broken down by (i) public and (ii) private sector prisons for each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The percentage of overcrowding in each prison is shown in the following table. Figures are shown for each financial year since 1998–99. The table shows the sector into which each prison falls and includes totals for public prisons, contracted out prisons and for the whole prison estate.
	
		Overcrowding -- Percentage
		
			 Establishment name Public/Contracted out establishment 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 to December 
		
		
			 Acklington Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Albany Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Altcourse Contracted out 30.4 53.6 71.6 79.5 98.1 96.8 78.4 83.7 
			 Ashfield Contracted out n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Ashwell Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.1 0.7 2.1 
			 Askham Grange Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Aylesbury Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 0.9 0.3 0.0 
			 Bedford Public 40.0 40.1 42.1 35.6 55.7 58.9 54.0 64.0 
			 Belmarsh Public 18.9 10.0 32.9 39.5 49.9 0.0 40.4 39.1 
			 Birmingham Public 69.7 69.8 61.5 25.5 42.7 41.6 38.5 38.3 
			 Blakenhurst Public 43.5 44.2 41.8 21.5 24.4 25.7 24.8 20.6 
			 Blantyre House Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Blundeston Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 30.7 28.2 27.6 26.7 
			 Brinsford Public 30.5 31.1 18.5 14.5 12.3 11.5 10.0 11.2 
			 Bristol Public 14.9 18.2 15.3 14.7 16.0 15.0 53.5 23.6 
			 Brixton Public 51.7 52.4 29.9 31.5 31.7 29.5 26.0 30.9 
			 Brockhill Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Bronzefield Contracted out n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.0 0.0 
			 Buckley Hall Public 0.0 0.0 11.0 13.8 8.5 14.6 18.3 11.4 
			 Bullingdon Public 21.0 21.3 17.9 30.9 35.3 27.8 37.7 42.1 
			 Bullwood Hall Public 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.6 4.3 0.0 0.0 
			 Camp Hill Public 24.4 30.0 22.0 40.9 51.7 47.2 21.6 21.6 
			 Canterbury Public 77.8 78.0 70.2 74.2 80.5 81.8 79.4 75.2 
			 Cardiff Public 67.9 72.2 67.4 76.6 79.2 79.5 69.2 65.3 
			 Castington Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Channings Wood Public 37.7 37.8 17.2 2.3 6.5 6.0 5.6 6.9 
			 Chelmsford Public 9.3 16.4 20.3 17.9 51.0 45.3 43.8 46.8 
			 Coldingley Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.6 8.6 
			 Cookham Wood Public 49.1 37.1 36.3 34.9 29.2 47.0 38.2 42.9 
			 Dartmoor Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.5 8.4 6.9 6.9 
			 Deerbolt Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Doncaster Contracted out 58.7 54.1 60.4 58.6 29.4 93.9 57.5 59.3 
			 Dorchester Public 71.0 64.9 54.2 59.1 73.5 76.2 76.1 75.2 
			 Dovegate Contracted out — — — 0.0 1.0 7.1 7.2 5.1 
			 Dover Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Downview Public 9.4 9.5 9.7 6.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Drake Hall Public 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Durham Public 59.5 59.8 57.1 50.1 50.9 50.7 64.9 67.7 
			 East Sutton Park Public 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Eastwood Park Public 6.6 14.0 15.8 16.8 16.8 15.7 13.9 12.4 
			 Edmunds Hill Public n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Elmley Public 42.8 43.6 24.1 25.8 47.7 53.5 55.0 54.9 
			 Erlestoke Public 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 4.1 5.4 5.3 5.2 
			 Everthorpe Public 13.9 13.9 1.2 13.9 13.6 13.7 12.9 18.4 
			 Exeter Public 84.6 80.3 69.4 64.9 72.5 35.7 64.8 54.5 
			 Featherstone Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.9 3.8 3.6 3.9 
			 Feltham Public 3.0 5.6 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Ford Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Forest Bank Contracted out n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 11.6 24.2 
			 Foston Hall Public 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Frankland Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Full Sutton Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Garth Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 11.3 4.0 5.1 3.3 
			 Gartree Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 
			 Glen Parva Public 29.5 35.4 26.6 55.6 53.2 48.2 42.0 44.2 
			 Gloucester Public 54.7 61.9 51.6 57.7 60.7 55.3 64.6 52.5 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Guys Marsh Public 8.7 12.5 12.2 12.5 14.1 12.7 11.7 13.4 
			 Haslar Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Haverigg Public 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.1 2.2 1.9 2.3 2.5 
			 Hewell Grange Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 High Down Public 41.3 24.5 17.6 22.3 26.7 37.5 36.9 38.6 
			 Highpoint Public 6.1 0.5 0.0 2.2 5.3 6.1 5.4 3.9 
			 Hindley Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 1.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Hollesley Bay Public 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Holloway Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 
			 Holme House Public 7.6 11.5 0.0 9.4 21.9 21.0 26.1 26.9 
			 Hull Public 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 48.1 42.9 46.9 51.3 
			 Huntercombe Public 4.5 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Kingston Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Kirkham Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Kirklevington Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lancaster Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 38.2 66.5 68.6 69.5 
			 Lancaster Farms Public 12.7 8.6 5.3 11.0 10.4 9.3 9.5 11.3 
			 Latchmere House Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leeds Public 44.9 51.4 68.5 73.5 74.6 75.1 74.5 74.3 
			 Leicester Public 80.0 82.3 77.2 84.6 89.2 88.0 86.0 86.2 
			 Lewes Public 6.6 6.7 7.3 6.0 21.3 29.0 27.7 29.8 
			 Leyhill Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lincoln Public 68.0 64.4 64.3 63.4 59.6 68.0 69.8 68.2 
			 Lindholme Public 5.9 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 7.1 
			 Littlehey Public 7.5 6.9 6.4 4.8 10.2 10.4 13.1 10.7 
			 Liverpool Public 30.6 29.5 27.9 32.2 32.3 34.6 32.4 29.6 
			 Long Lartin Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Low Newton Public 83.3 25.3 28.9 28.3 30.8 28.8 25.1 24.4 
			 Lowdham Grange Contracted out 0.0 3.2 1.2 0.0 3.8 7.6 5.1 3.7 
			 Maidstone Public 7.3 15.5 15.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 21.0 4.1 
			 Manchester Public 35.5 33.7 25.6 48.7 57.4 56.3 55.6 54.0 
			 Moorland Public 5.9 5.5 6.2 6.1 7.1 5.8 5.5 5.7 
			 Morton Hall Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Mount Public 11.2 1.6 2.0 11.0 12.7 13.5 7.2 0.8 
			 New Hall Public 16.7 16.2 16.5 17.3 16.6 12.5 7.7 10.8 
			 North Sea Camp Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Northallerton Public 87.7 95.7 75.6 69.6 62.0 62.4 70.4 65.7 
			 Norwich Public 19.7 32.3 36.1 47.0 54.4 52.8 53.4 54.5 
			 Nottingham Public 0.0 0.0 24.7 45.5 57.0 56.7 62.1 54.9 
			 Onley Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Parc Contracted out 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.5 16.8 
			 Parkhurst Public 8.0 4.8 5.1 0.2 0.0 8.1 6.5 6.1 
			 Pentonville Public 33.9 39.4 33.8 31.0 34.3 36.8 40.1 37.7 
			 Peterborough Contracted out n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.0 
			 Portland Public 16.0 25.8 23.5 8.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Preston Public 79.6 79.7 81.0 79.9 92.5 91.4 90.2 93.5 
			 Ranby Public 20.9 19.7 11.0 11.7 15.7 20.0 16.2 23.0 
			 Reading Public 60.9 65.4 61.5 65.8 67.2 67.7 68.1 68.7 
			 Risley Public 8.5 8.5 0.0 3.6 6.9 4.7 5.5 7.5 
			 Rochester Public 0.0 0.0 3.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Rye Hill Contracted out n/a n/a 0.0 0.0 32.4 22.1 10.4 0.0 
			 Send Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Shepton Mallet Public 47.3 18.6 37.9 12.0 33.0 35.3 33.2 22.4 
			 Shrewsbury Public 89.2 0.0 48.6 86.6 91.1 89.6 81.2 81.0 
			 Stafford Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.1 62.1 55.4 58.7 
			 Standford Hill Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Stocken Public 7.8 5.1 4.8 8.3 9.0 8.4 8.5 8.5 
			 Stoke Heath Public 0.0 0.0 7.8 3.4 28.4 27.6 23.7 23.8 
			 Styal Public 0.0 5.4 7.1 10.1 21.7 7.0 17.0 18.9 
			 Sudbury Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.0 
			 Swaleside Public 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.4 3.1 3.2 3.0 4.5 
			 Swansea Public 67.8 65.0 68.9 60.1 77.6 71.6 68.8 67.3 
			 Swinfen Hall Public 13.5 13.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Thorn Cross Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Usk·Prescoed Public 50.6 51.1 52.2 54.0 55.2 51.3 54.8 54.4 
			 Verne Public 6.8 6.1 5.1 6.4 10.0 9.7 9.2 11.1 
			 Wakefield Public 5.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Wandsworth Public 28.9 33.3 32.7 37.2 46.5 58.9 58.3 73.6 
			 Warren Hill Public n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Wayland Public 6.9 4.9 5.7 6.5 11.0 11.9 10.9 11.6 
			 Wealstun Public 1.6 1.7 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 
			 Wellingborough Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.3 0.0 
			 Werrington Public 0.0 0.0 12.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Wetherby Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 0.0 
			 Whatton Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.0 10.4 22.7 
			 Whitemoor Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Winchester Public 43.7 53.1 28.4 49.0 54.7 59.7 60.0 59.2 
			 Wolds Contracted out 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.2 0.0 0.0 22.3 0.5 
			 Woodhill Public 13.6 15.2 16.8 13.9 24.4 35.1 31.3 34.6 
			 Wormwood Scrubs Public 34.3 53.1 0.0 1.0 7.4 10.2 8.5 10.0 
			 Wymott Public 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 4.0 3.3 3.8 
			 Contracted out total  24.5 27.4 26.1 23.0 23.0 34.1 26.1 25.0 
			 Public total  19.6 19.6 16.8 18.2 23.4 22.9 23.7 23:8 
			 Prison Estate total  19.9 20.0 17.5 18.6 23.4 24.0 23.9 23.9

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in each prison had (a) a job, (b) training and (c) an education placement to attend upon release in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The data collected identifies prisoners entering Education Training and Employment (ETE) which includes those who attended FRESHSTART appointments at Jobcentre Plus. FRESHSTART is the initiative whereby prisoners who do not have a job or training place to go to on release are linked into employment, training and benefits advice and support immediately after release. The compound elements of ETE cannot be broken down except at disproportionate cost. Figures for ETE are given as follows.
	
		
			 Prison service area and establishment Total discharges 2004–05 ETE at discharge 2004–05 
		
		
			 East Midlands   
			 Ashwell 412 211 
			 Foston Hall (F) 244 65 
			 Gartree 1 0 
			 Glen Parva 1,242 693 
			 Leicester 495 290 
			 Lincoln 643 209 
			 Morton Hall (F) 214 56 
			 North Sea Camp 834 406 
			 Nottingham 493 278 
			 Onley 945 507 
			 Ranby 1,172 690 
			 Stocken 320 160 
			 Sudbury 569 353 
			 Wellingborough 340 148 
			 Whatton 162 59 
			  8,086 4,125 
			
			 Eastern   
			 Bedford 876 421 
			 Blundeston 175 142 
			 Bullwood Hall (F) 232 84 
			 Chelmsford 1,134 485 
			 Edmunds Hill 462 77 
			 Highpoint 593 340 
			 Hollesley Bay 688 426 
			 Littlehey 426 227 
			 Mount 408 233 
			 Norwich 1,501 499 
			 Warren Hill (J) 420 334 
			 Wayland 359 251 
			  7,274 3,519 
			 High Security   
			 Belmarsh 1,079 504 
			 Durham 844 326 
			 Durham (F) 3 1 
			 Frankland 46 12 
			 Full Sutton 45 15 
			 Long Lartin 26 5 
			 Manchester 1,239 475 
			 Wakefield 14 0 
			 Whitemoor 10 6 
			 Woodhill 1,021 386 
			  4,327 1,730 
			
			 Kent   
			 Blantyre House 69 67 
			 Canterbury 589 224 
			 Cookham Wood (F) 227 90 
			 East Sutton Park (F) 77 40 
			 Elmley 902 298 
			 Maidstone 141 51 
			 Rochester 810 320 
			 Standford Hill 1,083 566 
			 Swaleside 39 11 
			  3,937 1,667 
			
			 London   
			 Brixton 788 144 
			 Feltham 351 147 
			 Holloway (F) 663 191 
			 Latchmere House 151 143 
			 Pentonville 1,719 630 
			 Wandsworth 1,477 631 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,251 585 
			  6,400 2,471 
			
			 North East   
			 Acklington 691 238 
			 Castington 494 286 
			 Deerbolt 549 369 
			 Holme House 1,306 454 
			 Kirklevington 157 149 
			 Low Newton (F) 582 176 
			  3,779 1,672 
			
			 North West   
			 Buckley Hall (F) 659 137 
			 Garth 114 31 
			 Haverigg 439 226 
			 Hindley 497 221 
			 Kirkham 1,445 791 
			 Lancaster 269 202 
			 Lancaster Farms 1,030 548 
			 Liverpool 2,338 1,681 
			 Preston 736 346 
			 Risley 834 540 
			 Styal (F) 824 90 
			 Thorn Cross 547 373 
			 Wymott 517 184 
			  10,249 5,370 
			
			 South West   
			 Bristol 640 262 
			 Channings Wood 403 230 
			 Dartmoor 475 172 
			 Dorchester 475 221 
			 Eastwood Park (F) 767 142 
			 Erlestoke 311 129 
			 Exeter 1,191 464 
			 Gloucester 511 325 
			 Guys Marsh 578 317 
			 Leyhill 671 383 
			 Portland 533 458 
			 Shepton Mallet 9 4 
			 Verne 161 68 
			 Weare 1,335 693 
			  8,060 3,868 
			 Surrey and Sussex   
			 Coldingley 87 46 
			 Downview (F) 363 48 
			 Ford 1,250 582 
			 Highdown 891 326 
			 Lewes 537 217 
			 Send (F) 199 38 
			  3,327 1,257 
			
			 Thames Valley, Hampshire and IOW 
			 Albany 69 4 
			 Aylesbury 88 77 
			 Bullingdon 1,144 590 
			 Camp Hill 420 375 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill 514 315 
			 Haslar 15 1 
			 Huntercombe (J) 815 286 
			 Kingston 0 0 
			 Parkhurst 56 44 
			 Reading 501 308 
			 Winchester 1,033 515 
			  4,655 2,515 
			
			 Wales   
			 Cardiff 1,109 401 
			 Swansea 608 293 
			 Usk/Prescoed 580 267 
			  2,297 961 
			
			 West Midlands   
			 Birmingham 2,105 584 
			 Blakenhurst 1,037 364 
			 Brinsford 590 310 
			 Brockhill (F) 240 16 
			 Drake Hall (F) 332 135 
			 Featherstone 277 149 
			 Hewell Grange 438 249 
			 Shrewsbury 643 267 
			 Stafford 443 205 
			 Stoke Heath 1,210 690 
			 Swinfen Hall 87 56 
			 Werrington (J) 352 315 
			  7,754 3,340 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside   
			 Askham Grange (F) 157 84 
			 Everthorpe 359 332 
			 Hull 1,200 475 
			 Leeds 2,038 976 
			 Lindholme 637 416 
			 Moorland and Hatfield 948 679 
			 New Hall (F) 781 492 
			 Northallerton 983 816 
			 Wealstun 962 621 
			 Wetherby (J) 567 347 
			  8,632 5,238 
			
			 Total public prisons 78,777 37,733 
			
			 Contracted out estate   
			 Altcourse 1,496 855 
			 Ashfield 558 277 
			 Doncaster 1,581 706 
			 Dovegate 71 19 
			 Forest Bank 1,579 594 
			 Lowdham grange 42 14 
			 Parc 1,357 833 
			 Rye Hill 85 17 
			 Wolds 139 98 
			 Total contracted out estate 6,908 3,413 
			
			 Total all prisons 85,685 41,146

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons have local learning centres; what the cost of each centre is; what plans he has to create more local learning centres; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are 13 local learning centres. Their location and running costs, for 2004–05, are detailed in the following table. Funding for a further three centres has been approved.
	
		Prison service learning centres and running costs for 2004–05
		
			  Amount (£) 
		
		
			 Blakenhurst 9,989 
			 Gartree 10,232 
			 Ranby 12,000 
			 Lancaster 7,067 
			 Thorn Cross 9,555 
			 Frescoed 5,716 
			 Pentonville 7,626 
			 Holme House 10,180 
			 Lindholme 11,057 
			 Guys Marsh 9,839 
			 Verne 10,239 
			 Woodhill 3,083 
			 London 2,580

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the (a) entry criteria and (b) initial training programme for prison officers; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are no plans to change the necessary entry requirements for new prison officers. However, all newly recruited prison officers now undertake an eight-week Prison Officer Entry Level Training course. The course provides new staff with a foundation level of training, including; interpersonal skills, mental health awareness, race and diversity, violence reduction, safer custody, security awareness and practical skills. An improved quality assurance system is now in place, which adheres to the Adult Learning Inspectorate common inspection framework.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the Prison Service's policy on the management of sickness absence; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps have been taken to ensure that the Prison Service achieves the National Audit Office target on sickness absence; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: During the last three years, the public sector Prison Service has introduced a new and robust framework for managing absence caused by ill health. Provisional figures for 2005 show average absence rates in the public sector Prison Service (including absence caused as a result of accidents and assaults at work) at 12.5 days per staff member. This represents a fall of up to 21 per cent. since 1999 and a fall of 15 per cent. since the introduction of a new policy framework in 2002–03. Absence rates for the financial year 2005–06 are expected to show a further fall.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the views of (a) prison governors, (b) prison education managers and (c) prison education contractors on the state of education delivery in the prison estate; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Ministers receive regular analysis of the performance of the learning and skills arrangements in prisons through the Home Office's standard reporting arrangements. The development of new arrangements for delivering learning and skills to offenders, planned and funded by the Learning and Skills Council, has involved a wide range of stake holding partners.
	A national Project Board includes very senior Prison Service representatives, and each region has set up a separate Regional Partnership Board to drive forward arrangements there. The Regional Partnership Boards include Prison Service Area Managers, Governors and Heads of Learning and Skills. At each stage, therefore, the views of Prison Service Managers—and Regional Offender Managers—have been influential in determining the strategic way forward in developing the new service as it affects prisons.
	In addition, officials from the Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit have taken account of contractors' views, for example through running a consultation workshop at the most recent Association of Colleges conference and arranging other stakeholder events at which contractors have been present as part of the preparatory activity towards publication of the Green Paper 'Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment'.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the Drug Intervention Programme at HMP Pentonville.

Fiona Mactaggart: The prison element of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) is well established at HMP Pentonville and is proving effective in building on drug treatment deliveries in prison by making firm links for prisoners to continue their drug treatment on release.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to improve race relations in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service Associate Race Equality Scheme for 2005–08 sets out the Prison Service's actions over the next three years to improve its management of race relations. This information is available on the Prison Service website at www.mprisonservice.gov.uk/abouttheservice/racediversity, it is also available in the House of Commons Library.

Probation Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Probation Service handled in each region in the last year; how many staff were employed by the Probation Service in each region; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The number of cases (in terms of people under National Probation Service supervision) handled by the Probation Service is not recorded in whole years. Instead, workload is measured by the number of active cases being handled by the service on a specific day at the end of each quarter. This figure will fluctuate over time, but the snapshot at a particular date is representative of the number of cases that are being handled at any particular point in time.
	The table shows the number of people being supervised by the National Probation Service as at 31 December 2004, which is the most recent published figure. In addition, the table also shows the number of staff in post (full-time equivalent) on the same day as the case load information was captured. The staffing figures do not include staff employed by the national probation directorate in the Home Office, or Chief Probation Officers.
	
		
			  Number of cases Staff in post 
		
		
			 North East 11,486 1,277.50 
			 North West 34,405 3,198.99 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 22,836 2,380.85 
			 East Midlands 16,954 1,719.64 
			 West Midlands 26,762 2,186.76 
			 East of England 16,287 1,503.90 
			 London 34,013 2,398.30 
			 South East 21,995 2,194.70 
			 South West 12,517 1,480.22 
			 Wales 12,215 1,182.08 
			 NPS Total 209,470 19,522.94

Probation Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact the introduction of (a) early release schemes and (b) intensive supervision schemes have had on the workload of the Probation Service; and whether additional resources have been made available to the Probation Service to deal with these schemes.

Fiona Mactaggart: The home detention curfew scheme was introduced in January 1999. Over 120,000 prisoners have been released on HDC since then. Before release on HDC is granted, Probation Service staff are involved in assessing the suitability of the offender and the proposed release address.
	There is no special allocation of funding for this work. However in 1999, the year in which HDC began, funding for the Probation Service increased by 6 per cent. All offenders serving sentences of 12 months to four years, and young adult offenders aged under 22 years of age serving less than 12 months, are released subject to probation supervision. Changes in the way HDC has been applied have caused short term increases in the number of offenders released but they have not had any long-term impact on supervision resources.
	The Probation Service piloted the Intensive Change and Control programme (ICCP) for young adult offenders in 17 areas from 2003. Additional funds were provided to the pilot areas in 2003–04 and 2004–05. From April 2005 the Criminal Justice Act 2003 has enabled orders to be made that contain several requirements. These new intensive orders are gradually replacing ICCP.
	Funding to probation boards reflects the increase in workload stemming from the Criminal Justice Act. Funding increased by £54 million in 2005–06 (to £759 million) and is planned to increase further in 2006–07.

Prostitution

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes to assist women who wish to stop working as prostitutes receive support from his Department.

Fiona Mactaggart: No dedicated projects currently receive support from this Department. In 2000 the Home Office awarded £850,000 from the crime reduction programme to 11 multi-agency projects to assess what works in tackling prostitution.
	The evaluation of these projects was published in the Home Office research study report Tackling Street Prostitution: Towards an Holistic Approach" and these findings will form the basis of commissioning guidance for dedicated support projects to be developed for local partnerships as part of the implementation of the recently published prostitution strategy. Government funding is already available, for example to fund drug and alcohol treatment services, to support essential elements of the work of these projects in developing routes out of prostitution.

Rates

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, (b) HM Inspectorate of Prisons and (c) HM Inspectorate of Probation function in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (i) each (A) nation and (B)region of the UK and (ii) London.

Charles Clarke: The following were the rates payments made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Probation during financial year 2004–05.
	
		£
		
			 Local authority HM Inspectorate of Constabulary HM Inspectorate of Prisons HM Inspectorate of Probation 
		
		
			 City of Wakefield 16,051 — — 
			 Bromsgrove DC 11,172 — — 
			 Cambridge City Council 13,794 — — 
			 Woking Borough Council 46,136 — — 
			 Trafford Borough Council — — 19,860 
			 Total Paid 87,153 — 19,860  
			 (A) Region
			 Scotland — — — 
			 Wales — — — 
			 Northern Ireland — — — 
			 North West   19,860 
			 North East — — — 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 16,051 — — 
			 East Midlands — — — 
			 West Midlands 11,172 — — 
			 East of England 13,794 — — 
			 South East 46,136 — — 
			 South West — — — 
			 London — — —  
			 (B) Nation
			 England 87,153 — 19,860 
			 Scotland — — — 
			 Wales — — — 
			 Northern Ireland — — — 
			 
			 (ii) London — — — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.These Inspectorates provide services in England and Wales.
	2.Rates for their London offices which are within the Department's central London estate are paid centrally.

Remand Prisoners

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to assist remand prisoners in their preparations for trial.

Fiona Mactaggart: Remand prisoners who have not been tried are presumed to be innocent and it is the function of the Prison Service to hold them in readiness for their next appearance in court.
	All prisons must have a Legal Services officer to assist prisoners in finding a solicitor, to whom they must provide confidential access. Prisons holding remand prisoners must also have a bail information scheme to assist the court in deciding if the period of remand should continue; and a comprehensive range of legal text books and facilities to obtain copies of relevant legal documents.

Inspectorates (Rental Costs)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in rent for properties by (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, (b) HM Inspectorate of Prisons and (c) HM Inspectorate of Probation in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (i) each (A) region and (B) nation of the UK and (ii) London.

Charles Clarke: The following were the rent payments made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Probation during financial year 2004–05:
	
		£
		
			  HM Inspectorate of Constabulary HM Inspectorate of Prisons HM Inspectorate of Probation 
		
		
			 (A) Region
			 Scotland — — — 
			 Wales — — — 
			 Northern Ireland — — — 
			 North West — — 57,105 
			 North East — — — 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 53,756 — — 
			 East Midlands — — — 
			 West Midlands 51,278 — — 
			 East of England 40,410 — — 
			 South East (44)205,510 — — 
			 South West — — — 
			 London — — — 
			 Total Paid 350,954 — 57,105 
			 
			 (B) Nation
			 England 350,954 — 57,100 
			 Scotland — — — 
			 Wales — — — 
			 Northern Ireland — — — 
			 
			 (ii) London(45) n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(44)Net.
	(45)The Inspectorates are housed in the Department's central London estate.
	Note:
	These Inspectorates provide services in England and Wales. Costs for their freehold London offices which are within the Department's central London estate are paid centrally.

Reoffending

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used, expressed as level of risk (a) to the public and (b) of re-offending, for each level of Probation Service supervision for an offender upon release from prison; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Probation Service assesses offenders using the Offender Assessment System (OASys). There are two main elements within OASys, an assessment of the risk of serious harm posed by an offender and an assessment of the likelihood of reconviction.
	Risk of serious harm to the public or to particular groups of people is assessed as low, medium, high or very high. The assessment involves two variables: the likelihood of an event occurring and the potential impact of that event. Serious harm is defined as life threatening and/or traumatic from which recovery (psychological as well as physical) can be expected to be difficult or impossible.
	An offender's likelihood of reconviction is expressed as a numerical score that is split into three bands: low, medium and high. This assessment is based on such factors as the offender's criminal history and whether for example he or she is a drug misuser, abuses alcohol or anti-social attitudes. The two elements of assessment come together in the allocation of offenders to a four level 'tiering' structure through which all offenders under Probation Service supervision are managed.
	Those offenders who require the least probation input will be in Tier One, while those requiring the most will be in Tier Four. Tier Four includes those offenders released on licence who are assessed as posing a high or very high risk of serious harm and where it is likely that more than one agency should be involved in their risk management under the Multi- Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
	The MAPPA provide the framework to co-ordinate and strengthen the risk management activity of all the relevant agencies involved. High and very high risk of serious harm offenders are managed in the community at MAPPA Levels Two or Three, dependant on the nature and imminence of their risk and the level of resource, or senior management involvement, needed from the relevant agencies.

Reoffending

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the re-offending rate was for individuals serving (a) custodial sentences and (b) community service orders in (i) England, (ii) the Tees Valley and (iii) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in 2004–05.

Fiona Mactaggart: Re-offending rates are not currently available on a regional basis. National re-offending rates are published in 'Adult re-offending: results from the 2002 cohort'. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 25/05. This is available on the Home Office's website (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html)

Security (Small Ports)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on security at small ports; and how many intelligence-led checks were made at small ports during 2005.

Tony McNulty: A small port is defined by the Immigration Service as
	any location where we do not have a permanent presence or any other port or airport which, by virtue of volume and type of traffic, is considered suitable for exercising a flexible control".
	Port staffing levels in the United Kingdom are determined by a number of factors:
	Current and projected numbers of passenger arrivals;
	At seaports, the number of freight vehicles that will require searching;
	An assessment of the casework generated from the arriving passenger traffic; and
	Projected numbers of asylum seekers that will require interview on arrival.
	At smaller ports resources are deployed to meet arriving traffic and in addition powers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are used to clear passengers remotely following checks against warning indices. Passengers subject to control will be examined to ascertain whether they qualify for entry to the UK. All small ports are threat assessed for the degree of risk to the integrity of the control. Special multi-agency, and in some cases multi-national, exercises are run alongside ad-hoc intelligence checks at small ports.

Tax Credit Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of tax credit fraud in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is contained in the table.
	
		
			  Prosecutions Convictions 
		
		
			 2001–02 28 28 
			 2002–03 35 34 
			 2203–04 59 56 
			 2004–05 211 193 
			 2005–06 (end December) 190 160

Young Offenders

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what target he has set for increasing the number of young offenders in education, training or employment when leaving the supervision of youth offender teams.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Youth Justice Board and the Connexions Service have jointly set youth offending teams a target of ensuring that 90 percent. of the young people they supervise are in full-time education, training or employment. Currently, 75 percent. of young people aged 10 and 17 who are supervised by youth offending teams are in full-time education, training or employment.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Access to Justice

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of systems of access to justice for (a) those with literacy problems and (b) other vulnerable groups.

Harriet Harman: In 2005 my Department made an assessment of the additional support that might be helpful to vulnerable victims and witnesses, including those with communication difficulties, in the criminal justice process. An interdepartmental examination of early advice provision is also examining ways in which access to independent early legal advice can be improved for vulnerable groups. In addition my Department is testing the use of television as a means of delivering education and information for potential users of the Justice System, with a particular focus on vulnerable and socially excluded witnesses.
	Her Majesty's Courts Service's victims and witnesses strategy aims to improve the court experience of victims and witnesses, including vulnerable ones. Examples of help given to vulnerable witnesses are: instructions to court ushers to offer witnesses the option of repeating the oath after the usher rather than reading it, thus assisting those with literacy problems; videolink facilities to enable housebound witnesses to give evidence from home and children to give evidence separate from the parties and in a less intimidating environment; and providing an interpreter automatically when a party has a hearing impediment and for those whose first language is not English in cases of committal, domestic violence and where children are involved, and in other cases if this is the only way in which a party can give evidence.
	The Legal Service Commission, through the Community Legal Services Strategy, is looking at ways of targeting expenditure more on those who need it most, particularly the socially excluded. Community Legal Services Direct provides free legal advice and information which is available in different languages and formats and is particularly useful to people who may have problems accessing traditional services. People with literacy problems can call a national telephone service to find information about their nearest solicitor, obtain information leaflets in audio formats, and access a website that is speech-enabled.

Clinical Negligence

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to her answer of 17 January 2006, Official Report, column 1211W, on clinical negligence, how much the (a) 10 barristers and (b) 10 solicitors who received the highest legal aid fees for clinical negligence work in the last year earned; and, for each barrister and solicitor, in what proportion of cases where proceedings are complete a substantive benefit to the client was reported.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Commission for Racial Equality

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Secretary of State last met the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Harriet Harman: The Secretary of State has met the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality on several occasions.

Court Service (Northamptonshire)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent performance of the Court Service in Northamptonshire.

Harriet Harman: The information is as follows:
	Ineffective trials (PSA 1)
	YTD (Dec) Crown—3.0 per cent. Target 10 per cent.
	YTD (Dec) Mags—12.3 per cent. Target 20 per cent.
	Timeliness (PSA 1)
	YTD (Dec) Crown—75.15 per cent. Target 78 per cent.
	YTD (Sep) Mags—30 days from first listing to completion. No formal target.
	Persistent Young Offenders (PSA 1)
	YTD (Dec) Area (Crown and Mags)—85 days. Target 71 days.
	Payment rate (PSA 2)
	YTD (Dec) Mags—78.1 per cent. Target 81 per cent.
	Confiscation Orders (PSA 2)
	YTD (Dec) Mags—Outstanding Balance rate—1 per cent. Target—less than 50 per cent.
	YTD (Dec) Orders closed—44 per cent. Target—greater than 25 per cent.
	Family Public Law (PSA 4)
	Percentage cases completed within 40 weeks
	YTD (Dec) Care Centre—35.7 per cent. Local target 32 per cent.
	YTD (Dec) Family Proceedings Court—54.5 per cent. Local target 68.9 per cent.
	Family Private Law
	YTD (Dec) County—77.10 per cent. Target 70 per cent.
	Adoptions
	YTD (Dec) County 57.10 per cent. Target 70 per cent.
	County Court Small Claims
	YTD (Dec) 78.2 per cent. Target 80.5 per cent.
	County Court Fast Track
	YTD (Dec) 86.2 per cent. Target 78 per cent.
	County Court Multi Track
	YTD (Dec) 84.4 per cent. Target 78 per cent.

Electoral Registration

David Crausby: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to improve the accuracy of the electoral register.

Harriet Harman: The Electoral Administration Bill, introduced on 11 October, includes a new duty on electoral registration officers (EROs) to take all necessary steps to ensure comprehensive registers. Those steps include the following specific measures:
	(a) Sending the canvass form more than once to any address;
	(b) Making house to house inquires on more than one occasion;
	(c) Making contact by such other means as the registration officer thinks appropriate with persons who do not have an entry in a register;
	(d) Inspecting any records held by any person which the registration officer is permitted to inspect; and
	(e) Providing training to others carrying out the duty.
	The Bill also includes a clause empowering EROs to remove from the register the details of an elector if it becomes apparent, after the process of registration has been completed, that the elector should not have been registered.

Freedom of Information

Peter Law: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she plans to institute charges for freedom of information requests assessed to cost less than £450 to prepare.

Harriet Harman: The FOI Act gives the Secretary of State power to set an upper limit (known as the appropriate limit) for the cost of responding to FOI requests. The public authority is not required to comply with requests whose cost exceeds that limit. The Act also enables the Secretary of State to make regulations for public authorities to charge for requests that costs less than the appropriate limit. Under the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 the appropriate limit was set at £600 for requests to central Government and £450 for requests to public authorities outside central Government. Public authorities could only charge for the cost of disbursements (such as photocopying and postage) if the cost of complying with the request was less than the upper limit.
	DCA has no plans at present to revise either the appropriate limits or to change the fees that may be charged under those limits. As with any new regulations, however, provision was made for a review of fees and a ministerial commitment was given at the time of the passage of the regulations through Parliament that this should take place after the Act came into force. No timetable for any review has yet been agreed. There have also been no decisions taken on the scope of any review.

Judicial Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the written statement of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column161WS, on judicial pensions, what estimate she has made of (a) the annual cost of the long service award and (b) the annual yield from tax paid by scheme members on pension contributions.

Harriet Harman: Based on recent retirement patterns, the cost of the service award is estimated at about £6.7 million for 2006–07. This will be balanced by tax income (tax payable on the retirement lump sum, and on the service award), and additional national insurance contributions.
	Based on recent member contributions data for the judicial pension scheme, the additional tax yield, arising from the fact that member contributions will cease to attract tax relief, is estimated at about £2.5 million per annum, balanced by reduced income to the scheme.

Jury Service (West Lancashire)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people summoned for jury service in West Lancashire sought (a) deferment and (b) exemption in each of the last five years.

Harriet Harman: It is not possible to break down the number of people summoned geographically, but it is possible to break them down by court. The majority of people living in West Lancashire are summoned for jury service at Preston Crown court. The number and rate of people who applied for deferral and excusal at Preston Crown court is as follows:
	In 2001 903 people applied to have their jury service deferred (10 per cent. of those summoned) and 2,917 people applied to be excused from jury service (31 per cent. of those summoned); in 2002 949 (11 per cent.) applied for deferral and 2,905 (34 per cent.) applied for excusal; in 2003 833 (12 per cent.) applied for deferral and 2,221 (33 per cent.) for excusal; in 2004 1,037 (15 per cent.) applied for deferral and 1,890 (28 per cent.) for excusal; and in 2005 1,040 (16 per cent.) applied for deferral and 1,659 (26 per cent.) for excusal.
	These percentages are broadly the same as the overall percentages for England and Wales.

Magistrates Courts

Joan Walley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on proposals to fund a new build magistrates court in North Staffordshire.

Harriet Harman: The North Staffordshire magistrates court scheme continues to be within the programme of new court projects. Work continues to finalise investment plans, as part of the development of business and estates strategy for Her Majesty's Court Service. It is expected that a further announcement will be made once spending plans have been agreed with Treasury.

Magistrates Courts

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the current waiting time is from allocation to hearing for small claims at West London magistrates court.

Harriet Harman: Small claim hearings are not heard in the magistrates court, but are dealt with in the county court. The figures for the West London county court show that between April 2003 to March 2004 there were 441 case dealt with, with an average waiting time of 7.5 weeks. Between April 2004 to March 2005 the average waiting time was 9.5 weeks (354 cases), and between April and December 2005 the average waiting time was 7.7 weeks (286 cases).

Magistrates Courts

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many possession cases were issued at West London magistrates court between (a) 1 October 2004 and 31 March 2005 and (b) 1 April 2005 and 30 September 2005.

Harriet Harman: Possession proceedings are a civil process, and dealt with in the county courts rather than the magistrates courts. The number of possession cases that issued at West London county court between 1 October 2004 and 31 March 2005 was 743, and 1 April 2005 and 30 September 2005, 833

National Mediation Helpline

David Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on the National Mediation Helpline during the last 12 months.

Harriet Harman: In the last 12 months the Department has spent £75,197.00 on the National Mediation Helpline. The breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Running costs 33,468.80 
			 Publicity/launch 18,628.20 
			 Independent evaluation 23,100.00

Supreme Court

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Secretary of State last met Lord Bingham of Cornhill to discuss the new headquarters for the proposed Supreme Court.

Harriet Harman: The Secretary of State has had regular meetings with Lord Bingham to discuss plans for the new headquarters of the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on progress towards housing the proposed new Supreme Court.

Harriet Harman: The DCA is continuing to develop detailed designs for the refurbishment of Middlesex Guildhall in consultation with the Law Lords. The intention is that these designs will be submitted for the relevant planning permissions in March. Subject to these approvals, it is planned that the Supreme Court will be open for business in October 2008.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2006, Official Report, column 959W, on correspondence, what guidelines he has given to his officials on the timescale for replying to correspondence from hon. Members.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) attaches great importance to the prompt handling of correspondence. The Office target is that 80 percent. of MPs' and peers' correspondence is answered within 15 working days. Cabinet Office produce an annual report to Parliament monitoring the performance of departments and agencies for handling correspondence from Members of both Houses and their report for 2005 will be published in due course.
	Guidance for officials on the handling of correspondence is available on the intranet site of the ODPM.

Departmental Effectiveness

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the findings of the MORI survey of perceptions of the effectiveness of his Department held by board members and unit heads within the Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the findings of the recent MORI poll on perceptions of the effectiveness of his Department held by external stakeholders of the Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Permanent Secretary is responsible for the effective leadership and management of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's 2,000 staff and for the Government office network. As part of its work, the Permanent Secretary's management board commissions surveys to ascertain the views of staff on their working environment attitudes to their work in the Department, and the leadership provided by the senior civil service in the Office.
	Peter Housden was appointed as Permanent Secretary of the ODPM in October 2005 and gave evidence to the Select Committee for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in November in which he described the purpose of the surveys. In its recent report the Committee welcomed ODPM's commitment to consulting its personnel on their experience of work and congratulated it on its success in encouraging participation in the staff survey undertaken in May 2005.
	The Permanent Secretary has subsequently said:
	It is clear that the Office has achieved a huge amount since it was created in 2002. But we are not complacent. We have taken very seriously the views expressed in our stakeholder and staff surveys and put in place robust measures to address these concerns. We can demonstrate considerable strides forward over the past four years, but we all recognise we have more to do."
	Responses to the 2005 survey showed that 65 per cent. of staff were satisfied overall with their experience of working in ODPM. This is in line with experience across Government. In responses to the statement
	I believe that this company/organisation is an equal opportunities employer,"
	ODPM is in the second quartile of central Government organisations (and slightly above the central Government benchmark) according to the company that undertook the survey. In response to the statement
	I am treated with fairness and respect in this organisation,"
	ODPM is close to the top quartile of central Government organisations, also slightly above the central Government benchmark.
	In relation to bullying, responses in ODPM were in line with experience elsewhere in Government and in the second quartile of central Government organisations. Nonetheless the Permanent Secretary and Board take the issue extremely seriously and have instituted a wide range of activity to address the issues directly. The Permanent Secretary has confirmed:
	The ODPM does not tolerate bullying or discrimination. A programme of skills and awareness training is being put in place for all senior and middle managers, to ensure the organisation creates a positive climate for all staff and has the right procedures in place to deal with cases where staff are not treated with dignity and respect."

Departmental Equipment

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) laptops and (b) mobile phones his Department bought in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each category of equipment was in each year.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Up until November 2004 phones were purchased jointly with the Department for Transport and laptops until April 2003. Information since then held by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is as follows:
	
		
			  Number Cost (£000) 
		
		
			 November 2004 to November 2005   
			 Mobile phones 191 22.4 
			
			 April 2005 to January 2006   
			 Laptops 159 174

Energy Efficiency

Michael Wills: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what target he has set for improving the energy efficiency of residential accommodation by 2010.

Yvette Cooper: The Sustainable Energy Act 2003 requires the Government to set an aim to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector in England. This obligation was fulfilled in our 2004 Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which included an aim to save 3.5 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010.
	Section 217 of the Housing Act 2004 requires the Government to take reasonable steps to ensure that, by 2010, the general level of energy efficiency of residential accommodation in England has increased by at least 20 per cent. compared with the general level of such energy efficiency in 2000. Such an increase would be broadly in line with the aim published in the Energy Efficiency Action Plan.

Gypsy Sites

Mark Williams: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to publish the replacement for planningcircular 01–94, regarding Gypsy sites and planning.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to publish the new planning circular for Gypsies and Travellers, to replace DOE circular 1/94 Gypsy Sites and Planning", shortly.

Local Government Structure (Lancashire)

John Pugh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether Ministers from his Department plan to visit Lancashire as part of the review of the structure of local government.

Phil Woolas: While the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not currently reviewing local government structures the ODPM is engaging in a wide debate about local governance, including the future of two-tier arrangements in the shire areas. Our aim is that, as part of this debate, council leaders in all shire areas will have had the opportunity to put their views to Ministers.

Rough Sleepers

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information his Department (a) collects and (b) evaluates to estimate the number of rough sleepers.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 17 January 2006
	As at June 2005 there were an estimated 459 people sleeping rough in England on any one single night, the lowest ever recorded figure.
	This estimate is the result of data submitted to the Department from local housing authorities through their 2005 Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) return. Data reported on the HSSA reflect either a recent street count or an estimate, where no recent counts have taken place. Further detail on the methodology employed in producing the annual estimate of rough sleeping in England can be found via the following link on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index. asp?id=1150134.

Standards Board for England

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Standards Board for England and adjudication panel have so far spent on administering the complaints against (a) the Islington council chief executive and (b) the Mayor of London, including legal fees.

Phil Woolas: The cases referred to at (a) involved allegations of misconduct against a number of councillors in Islington in respect of the appointment of Islington council's chief executive. The Standards Board estimate that the costs incurred in respect of these cases are £675,000 by the Board and £50,000 by the adjudication panel.
	The case referred to at (b) , in respect of the London Mayor, is ongoing. The Standards Board estimate that the costs incurred to date are £45,000 by the Board and £7,000 by the adjudication panel.

Urban Migration

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment the Government have made of levels of migration out of towns and cities.

Yvette Cooper: Evidence from the Census shows that between 1991 and 2001 net out-migration from the English core cities (Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield) declined dramatically and Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds all gained rather than lost population. In all cases, the population of city centres has risen as people have started to move back in response to the urban renaissance and new housing and job opportunities.
	Preliminary findings from the state of the cities report show that many smaller towns and cities in England, particularly in the south and east, gained population over this period largely as a result of in-migration.
	Further information on demographic trends including patterns of migration out of, into and between English towns and cities will be available from the state of cities report, due for publication in spring 2006. A full thematic report on demographic trends in urban England will be published later.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) Management Board meeting minutes of 15 December 2005; if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the report sent to the Department and HM Revenue and Customs and (b) the paper on the sale of VOA data on the lessons learned from the CTR2007 programme.

Phil Woolas: Both documents, namely (a) the report relating to the lessons learned from CTR2007, and (b) the paper relating to the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) database were prepared as an input to the formulation of Government policy. Accordingly they cannot be made available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Claimants Living Overseas

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which benefits and allowances are payable to claimants regardless of whether they are normally resident in the United Kingdom; what rules affect whether benefits are payable during short stays overseas; and what steps he takes to monitor the eligibility by place of residence of claimants into whose bank account benefits are paid.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 11 January 2006
	Whether a benefit is payable to people who are not resident or present in the United Kingdom depends in the first instance on the entitlement conditions for each individual benefit. These conditions may be modified for EU nationals moving within the EU by the EU Regulations on Social Security for Migrant Workers, and in other cases by reciprocal social security agreements between the United Kingdom and other countries.
	The effect of long-term or short-term absence abroad on each social security benefit is summarised in DWP leaflet GL29 'Going Abroad and Social Security Benefits' a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	The Department's International Pension Centre issues 'Life Certificates' to customers abroad to sign to confirm that they are still entitled to United Kingdom benefit. The customer's signature must be witnessed by a person of standing in their community, for example a minister of religion, a civil servant, a police officer or a doctor. The purpose of Life Certificates is to uncover unreported deaths, and to provide an acceptable level of assurance that benefit is paid correctly.
	Life Certificates are issued to a specific group of people chosen by, among other criteria, country, marital status, age and dependents. This allows for a manageable sample of customers to be chosen. The sample will, over time, reflect the customer variety. Customers are not selected on the basis of how they are paid.
	Benefit is suspended if there is no contact from the customer after eight weeks. The letter advises the customer of this.

Benefit Entitlements (Women)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what entitlement is available for women who are supporting men aged below the state pension age;
	(2)  how many (a) men and (b) women in England and Wales are receiving the adult dependency addition; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: There is a range of benefits available to people below State pension age. In some cases people may be entitled to additional benefit if they have adult dependents. Whether or not adult dependency increases are payable will depend on the particular circumstances of each case.
	The information relating to the number of men and women getting an adult dependency increase in England and Wales is in the table.
	
		
			  Men Women 
			 Benefit England Wales England Wales 
		
		
			 State pension 50,400 3,100 100 (46)— 
			 Incapacity benefit 29,300 6,600 2,100 400 
			 Severe disablement allowance 800 100 300 (46)— 
			 Carer's allowance 7,600 800 4,500 400 
			 Maternity allowance n/a n/a 100 (46)— 
			 Industrial injuries disability benefit unemployability supplement (46)— (46)— (46)— (46)— 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(46)less than 100.
	Notes:
	1.Figures show Dependency increases paid in respect of a spouse or someone looking after a child.
	2.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3.The maternity allowance figure for women in England is based on a five per cent. sample and is therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	Sources:
	State pension, incapacity benefit, carer's allowance and severe disablement allowance information—DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. as at 31 May 2005.
	Maternity Allowance—DWP Information Directorate: 5 per cent. sample as at 31 May 2005
	Industrial injuries disability benefit unemployability supplement—Industrial Injuries Computer System 100 per cent. as at 31 March 2005.

Benefit Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of benefit fraud in each year since 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Department produces estimates for the amount overpaid through fraud across the benefits system. Previously published results are in the table.
	
		
			  Estimate of benefit fraud (£ billion)  Comment 
		
		
			 Pre-1998 (47)— A few isolated reviews of fraud and error in individual benefits were carried out, but there was no systematic attempt to estimate the level of fraud across the whole benefit system 
			 1998 2–7 Published in the Green Paper, Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business". Around £2 billion was considered confirmed fraud, with the remaining £5billion coming from cases where there was a suspicion of fraud 
			 1998–99 to 2002–03 2 A change in methodology in the ongoing measurement system meant that cases were investigated in more detail, and it was no longer appropriate to include cases where fraud was suspected in the headline estimates. Figure rounded to nearest £1.0 billion 
			 2003–04 initial estimate 1.5 Figure rounded to nearest £0.5 billion 
			 2003–04 revised estimate 1.0 Figure rounded to nearest £0.1 billion. Development work to improve the quality of the estimate suggested that the original figure was an overstatement 
			 2004–05 0.9 Figure rounded to nearest 0.1 £billion 
		
	
	(47)No overall estimate available.
	In recent years, benefit fraud has been reducing and now stands at £0.9 billion per year—less than one per cent of total benefit expenditure.
	On 13 October 2005, the Department published our achievements in reducing levels of fraud in the benefit system and plans to reduce it further in Reducing fraud in the benefit system: Achievements and ambitions". Copies are available in the Library.

Benefit Fraud

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what representations his Department has received in the last three years regarding the use of lie detectors in the investigation of suspected fraudulent (a) incapacity benefit claims and (b) other benefit claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had in the last three years regarding the use of lie detectors in the investigation of suspected fraudulent (a) incapacity benefit claims and (b) other benefit claims; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Secretary of State has received a small number of written representations in the last three years about the use of voice stress analysis. The Department is currently considering how the technology could be piloted in order to establish its effectiveness in relation to DWP business.

Bereavement Payments

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what bereavement payments are available to pensioners; and what the eligibility criteria are.

James Plaskitt: Pensioners may be entitled to the bereavement payment. This is a lump sum of £2,000. The bereavement payment is available to a person over state pension age if their late spouse was not entitled to a category A retirement pension. A category A retirement pension is one earned by virtue of a person's own national insurance contributions.
	Widows and widowers over pension age who are not entitled to receive any bereavement benefits may, subject to the normal qualifying conditions, be entitled to income-related benefits in the same way as any other person, including help towards funeral costs through the Social Fund.

Bereavement Payments

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will increase bereavement payments available to people over 65.

James Plaskitt: We keep all our policies under review but there are no plans to increase the bereavement payment available to people over state pension age.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Child Support Agency case compliance rate was on the (a) new scheme and (b) old scheme in each month since 1 January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information can be found in table seven of the Child Support Agency's Quarterly Summary Statistics, a copy of which can be found in the House Library.

Child Support Agency

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions 
	(1)  how many claims were rejected by the Child Support Agency as a result of computer error in the 12 months up to December (a) 2004 and (b) 2005;
	(2)  what the (a) target time is and (b) average time taken has been before the claim is processed manually when there is a Child Support Agency computer fault that means a claim cannot be processed.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to my hon. and learned Friend.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 26 January 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	(1) You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were rejected by the Child Support Agency computer in the 12 months up to December (a) 2004 and (b)2005.
	There are still a number of defects in the new child support (CS2) computer system which can prevent some cases from progressing. I am unable to provide a full response to your question, as we do not collect information at the level of detail you have requested. The figures in the table below show the total number of cases requiring technical intervention to progress against all identified defects, outstanding at the end of each month. Data for 2004 is only available for November and December.
	These figures include cases which have been removed from the system and are being progressed clerically as well as cases for which no further action is required but which cannot be closed without technical intervention.
	The clerical process allows staff to assess these cases off-line and to ensure that any money paid in by the non-resident parent is paid out to the parent with care.
	
		
			  Month Total number of cases not being progressed on the CS2 system 
		
		
			 November 2004 36,128 
			 December 2004 25,931 
			 January 2005 30,109 
			 February 2005 28,983 
			 March 2005 25,420 
			 April 2005 25,877 
			 May 2005 21,295 
			 June 2005 23,713 
			 July 2005 25,557 
			 August 2005 26,757 
			 September 2005 28,237 
			 October 2005 29,354 
			 November 2005 32,830 
			 December 2005 33,937 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures in the table show the total number of cases not being progressed at that point in time. An IT scan is run monthly to provide this information.
	Work is on-going to remedy these problems, and IT releases are planned during 2006 and 2007 to resolve the various system performance issues.
	(2) You also asked what the (a) target time is and (b) average time taken has been where there is a Child Support Agency computer fault that means a claim cannot be processed before the claim is processed manually.
	(a) The Agency does not have a set target time to move to clerical action as the final decision to progress clerically is taken on a case-by-case basis. This decision is determined by the Agency's ability to progress the case and address the customer's needs. Where faults arise, the Agency makes every effort to identify the problem and rectify it as quickly as possible.
	(b) Information on the average length of time elapsed before a case is progressed clerically is not available. Each case is decided individually, taking into account the needs of the customer.
	I hope you find this helpful.

Child Support Agency

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases over the last five years the United Tribunal has made orders for compensation against the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: The Appeals Service cannot make orders for compensation against the Child Support Agency.

Departmental Travel

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on taxi travel in the 2005–06 financial year; and what proportion of such travel was undertaken in each nation and region of the UK, including London.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available

Disability Benefits Unit

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures are in place to ensure services to clients are not disrupted during the reorganisation of the Disability Benefits Unit; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The reorganisation of the Disability Benefits Unit is a matter for the chief executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Terry Moran, dated 26 January 2006
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures are in place to ensure services to clients are not disrupted during the reorganisation of the Disability Benefits Unit.
	The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
	In my reply to PQ41115, I referred to pre-implementation activities designed to safeguard services to customers during the reorganisation of the DBU. These include the deployment of a dedicated team that has targeted specific areas of work.
	Additional measures include the gathering of management information on a daily and weekly basis through our IT systems and by means of clerical counts. This will ensure that all available work is visible and accounted for and the situation will be reviewed daily. The dedicated team will continue to be used to target specific areas, should this prove necessary.
	The Customer Care Helpline will remain open during its usual hours throughout the implementation period and will continue to provide the full range of services. Normal contingencies will be used at periods of peak demand.
	I hope this is helpful.

National Insurance Numbers

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the UK are eligible to receive a national insurance number.

James Plaskitt: This information is not available.

Norcross

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what agencies and directorates within the responsibilities of his Department are located at Norcross.

Anne McGuire: The following agencies and directorates for which the Department is responsible are located at Norcross:
	Disability and Carers Service
	Jobcentre Plus
	The Pension Service
	Finance Directorate
	Human Resources
	Programme and Systems Delivery
	Debt Management

Norcross

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 43W, on Norcross (job losses), how many staff have been re-deployed from (a) Norcross, (b) Peel Park, (c) Warbreck House and (d) Moorland Road; and to where these staff have been redeployed.

Anne McGuire: Information on the number of staff who have been redeployed from Norcross, Peel Park, Warbreck House and Lytham St. Anne's is in the following table. Staff redeployed from Moorland Road are not separately identified but are included in the total for Lytham St. Anne's.
	
		
			 Site Staff redeployed on site Staff redeployed to other sites Total number of staff redeployed 
		
		
			 Norcross 35 28 63 
			 Peel Park 34 12 46 
			 Warbreck House 1 0 1 
			 Lytham St. Anne's 99 16 115 
			 Total Redeployments 169 56 225 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers of redeployments are cumulative from 1 April 2004.

Parliamentary Questions

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will answer questions (a) 26399, (b) 26327 and (c) 26331 tabled by the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon on 3 November.

Anne McGuire: Replies have been given to the hon. Member for all the questions as follows:
	(a) 26399 on 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2450W.
	(b) 26327 on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 73W.
	(c) 26331 on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 82W.

Parliamentary Questions

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will answer question 34383 tabledby the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre on 29 November 2005 on the Gershon review.

Anne McGuire: An answer was given to the hon. Member on 16 January 2006, Official Report, column 1044W.

Pension Credit

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women have claimed pension credit.

Stephen Timms: As at 30 September 2005 there are 1,714,600 women and 996,500 men in receipt of pension credit in Great Britain.
	Notes:
	1.Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100. 2.PC data from the Generalised Matching Service (GMS) 100 per cent. scans taken on 16 September 2005 and the figures have been rated up to give month end estimates. This is the data used for the Pension Credit Quarterly Progress Report (QPR). 3.These figures are early estimates. Operational processing times mean that a number of claim commencements and terminations are not reflected in the figures. The final figures incorporated within the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) will take account of such cases.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: 100 per cent. GMS data

Pension Service

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints were received by the Pension Service in each of the last 12 months; and what the average time taken to resolve complaints was in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: Details of the number of complaints/inquiries received in each of the last 12 months are in the following table.
	The last period for which figures are available is December 2005. The average time taken to resolve complaints was 2.9 days, broken down as follows: direct complaints—two days; MP inquiries—11 days; and PCA inquiries—eight days.
	
		
			  Customer complaints received MP inquiries/ complaints PCA inquiries Total complaints/inquiries received each month 
		
		
			 January 1,517 204 12 1,733 
			 February 1,532 213 31 1,776 
			 March 1,520 201 22 1,743 
			 April 1,741 196 31 1,968 
			 May 1,307 97 26 1,430 
			 June 1,218 127 22 1,367 
			 July 1,623 134 26 1,783 
			 August 1,945 98 21 2,064 
			 September 1,942 121 41 2,104 
			 October 1,979 101 32 2,112 
			 November 2,257 132 28 2,417 
			 December 1,464 119 34 1,617 
			 Total 20,045 1,743 326 22,114

Post Office Card Account

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations his Department held with (a) pensioner groups and (b) others before the decision was taken to terminate the contract of the Post Office card account; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Post Office card account contract is not being terminated. The Government will continue to fund the card account until March 2010 as always provided for in the contract. My officials will be meeting with customer representative groups and other key stakeholders over the next few weeks to discuss our future strategy for paying benefits and pensions.

Turner Report

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the employment rate of the Turner report's proposed 3 per cent. employer contribution to the National Pension Saving Scheme.

Stephen Timms: We are in the process of examining the recommendations made by the Commission in detail. At this stage, nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out. One of the Commission's recommendations, to which we will be giving careful consideration, is the need for compulsory employer matching contributions. In looking at this option we will of course take account of possible impacts on business and on the labour market.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Air Passenger Tax

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the proposed diversion of revenue from the air passenger tax to fund development aid will (a) be a new addition to the UK aid budget on top of the increases already announced this year and (b) replace money from other tax sources.

John Healey: holding answer 16 January 2006
	I have been asked to reply.
	As part of an agreement to implement an international finance facility (IFF), the Government are prepared to allocate some of the existing revenue from the air passenger duty (APD) to provide a long-term financial commitment to the IFF.
	The Government remains fully committed to its timetable for reaching 0.7 percent. ODA/GNI by 2013. As set out in Spending Review 2004, with the IFF the UK could achieve the equivalent of 0.7 percent. by 2008–09.

Biwater

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the Government will act as insurer of last resort to Biwater through the Export Credit Guarantee Department after the company's losses in the Dar Es Salaam water system contract.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	In June 2003, the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) provided Overseas Investment Insurance cover to Biwater for their City Water, Dar Es Salaam water and sewerage contract.
	It is not possible at this stage to say whether the reported action of the Tanzanian authorities will result in any claim against ECGD. If Biwater does submit a claim, ECGD will examine it under the terms of its Overseas Investment Insurance policy and the Department would only pay a claim if it was satisfied that it was liable under the policy.

Iraq

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2006 to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George), Official Report, column 1219W, on Fallujah, what assessment he has made of the position of the 61,000 people displaced from Fallujah since April 2004; and what assessment he has made of the ways in which aid disbursed to Fallujah has been spent, with particular reference to the repair of existing homes and the construction of new homes.

Hilary Benn: DFID understands that life in Fallujah is slowly returning to normal. A functioning local government exists and the population has voted in both the October 2005 constitutional referendum and December 2005 general election. The US now estimates the city's population to be at 239,000, compared to 300,000 before 2004. The US Government reports that there is currently no-one officially classified as a displaced person in the vicinity of Fallujah; many of those displaced by the conflict moved to stay with relatives or relocated to surrounding cities. A UN survey showed that 17 per cent. of former Fallujan residents (approximately 50,000) did not expect to return to the city.
	The United Kingdom has provided advice but not financial aid for the reconstruction of Fallujah. In the aftermath of military operations in Fallujah, DFID staff and consultants made assessment visits to Fallujah and provided advice to the Iraqi Government on the management of health, humanitarian and co-ordination issues. The Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals continues to lead on the reconstruction effort, with support from the US. Financial aid came from the Iraqi Government and the US. We have made no detailed assessment of the ways in which aid disbursed to Fallujah has been spent. However, the following information, drawn from US assessments, may be helpful.
	The Iraqi Government has allocated US$100 million for Fallujah's reconstruction and US$178 million in housing compensation for Fallujah's citizens. Shortly after military operations in Fallujah ended, the Government initially estimated the damage to housing to be in the region of US$500 million. Fallujah residents have so far received US$103 million in housing compensation. The Government recently announced a further US$75 million which will be paid to citizens over the next month, bringing the total to US$178 million. It is unclear whether any additional funds will be made available.
	The United States is funding 81 reconstruction projects in Fallujah worth over US$100 million. Of these, 14 have been completed, 25 are underway, 22 have contracts awarded but have not yet started and one is being evaluated. Major projects include:
	electrical system improvement—over US$40 million. Electrical distribution lines are now connected to about 80 per cent. of homes and businesses in Fallujah;
	a new waste water treatment plant and collection system—US$28 million. The Fallujah Water Department reports that 98 per cent. of residences in Fallujah are now supplied with safe drinking water;
	new police facilities—US$7.6 million. Two new police stations are due to be completed in April 2006.
	Smaller projects include reconstruction of the Fallujah railway station, renovating the court house and constructing new health care facilities. Four new health clinics are due to be completed between February and August 2006.
	No official data exist on the repair and construction of homes in Fallujah. Anecdotal evidence from those working in Iraq suggests that around 15 per cent. of homes have been restored. This is expected to increase with the distribution of the extra US$75 million.

Water Action Plan

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to publish the next update on his Department's work on water and sanitation since the Water Action Plan.

Hilary Benn: We plan to publish the next Water Action Plan update on the DFID external website by the end of March 2006.

Water Action Plan

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which African countries receiving budget support from his Department have spent 12 per cent. or more of those funds principally in support of increased access to safe water and sanitation.

Hilary Benn: DFID is currently providing budgetary support to Sierra Leone, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. The DFID report 'Financial support to the water sector 2002 to 2004' includes (page 22) an assessment of the percentage of public expenditure (including budgetary support) allocated to water and sanitation by partner countries. In the African countries receiving UK budgetary support, this varies between 0.3 per cent. and 4.8 per cent. No country allocates as much as 12 per cent. from central Government funds to water and sanitation services. Copies of the report are available in the Libraries of the House and also on the DFID website www.dfid.gov.uk.

World Trade Organisation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he plans to take to promote the interests of the world's poor following the outcome of the World Trade Organisation's ministerial meetings in Hong Kong at the end of 2005.

Gareth Thomas: DFID recognises that the World Trade Organisation talks held in Hong Kong in December made only modest progress towards a pro development outcome to the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). We remain committed to work towards a successful conclusion to the round by the end of this year. A good deal that promotes the interests of the poor would include improved market access, particularly in agriculture, and significant reductions in trade distorting domestic support.
	DFID places paramount importance on ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard in trade negotiations. For some time DFID has provided advisory support and financial resources to help developing countries formulate their own trade policies and negotiate and participate in trade deals, including the Hong Kong talks; we will continue to provide similar support. Over the coming weeks we will remain in contact with the LDCs on their post-Hong Kong priorities. This will help focus our efforts on promoting the interests of poor countries where they want our support.
	DFID believes that greater market access won't in itself enable the poorest countries to benefit more from trade; developing countries have to also overcome significant supply side capacity constraints, such as lack of investment in physical infrastructure and human capital. The international community has committed development assistance to support this so called aid for trade, pioneered by the UK during our twin presidencies of the G8 and EU. We have pledged to increase our own aid for trade to £100 million per annum by 2010. While this is not a substitute for significant changes to WTO trade rules, DFID believes it will assist poor countries to engage in and benefit from the international trading system. DFID will also focus its efforts over coming months on ensuring pledges on aid for trade are honoured.